



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

Chap. Copyright No., 

Shelf. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 





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FAIRY STARLIGHT 


AND 


THE DOLLS 











BIANCA AND HER DOLLS. 







FAIRY STARLIGHT 

AND 

THE DOLLS 


BY 


ELIZABETH SaBLAKELKY 


ILLUSTRATED BY 

LUCY F. PERKINS 



CH ICAGO 

A. C. McCLURG AND COMPANY 



fZ2 

3s 7 

fol 


Copyright 

By A. C. McClurg and Co. 
a. d. 1896 


I 


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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 

Bianca and her Dolls Frontispiece 

Fairy Starlight arouses Bianca 14 

Clara poked with her Parasol 24 

“ Good-evening,” said a Pink 27 

Bessie brings May and Kate 53 

Bianca and Bessie asking for Stories .... 57 

The Doll dusting the Window-sill 69 

Bianca makes Biscuits 80 

“ Down the Hill they flew ” 92 

Bianca and the Paper Dolls 98 

Bianca’s Aunt Dot and the Chickens . . . . no 

Bianca carries Petite 123 

The Turtle Ride 135 

The Dinner Party 143 

“ Maybe I will meet you in Doll-land To-night” 1 56 

Starlight and Bianca on Fireflies 161 

Fairy Starlight and Bianca on the Throne . . 165 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page 


“ Are you my Little Dog Fox ? ” 170 

They are frightened by the Monkeys . . . . 187 

Sambo and Petite stay on Shore 192 

A Group of Happy Thoughts ...... 203 

The Dolls’ Good-by to Bianca 213 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND 
THE DOLLS. 


CHAPTER I. 

T)IANCA CALDEAU was an only child, 
and just eight years of age. She had 
several devoted aunts and uncles, who lav- 
ished upon her the nicest toys of all kinds. 
Among them were four dolls, the favorites 
of all her playthings, and she had named 
them thus : The largest doll was “ Clara.” 
She was almost too big to carry, and she 
opened and shut her charming blue eyes. 
Then came the baby, “ Petite.” Bianca named 
her so because she was so small ; she 
had a cunning little glass baby-bottle, and 
Bianca sometimes called her “ Bottle Baby.” 


8 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Sambo ” was a little colored doll ; ' “ Lilian,” 
a wax young lady. Bianca had also a cradle all 
draped with blue silk, and a beautifully carved 
bed; chairs of different sizes and shapes; 
a lovely bureau with a nice mirror ; a trunk 
which had a tray and a hat-box ; and a writing- 
desk, containing a tiny ink-bottle, paper, and 
envelopes, with wee pens and pen-holders. 

I cannot begin to tell you all of Bianca’^ 
playthings. Think of everything you would 
like to have, and I am sure she possessed 
those very toys; but she was not satisfied. 
Just think of that! What do you suppose 
she wanted? She wanted to have her dolls 
walk and talk. Of course she could speak to 
them as much as she liked ; but they never 
answered her. When she was undressing 
them, especially, Bianca would often scold 
her dolls, saying : — 

“ Now, I think it is a shame that you do 
not notice me when I undress you every night, 
and dress you each morning, in the loveliest 
clothes. I kiss you and talk to you, and you 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 9 

never so much as look at me, unless I turn 
you in such a way your eyes just have to gaze 
right into mine, whether you want them to or 
not, — so there, you bad dollies.” 

She always finished with a look of great 
severity, which changed instantly to one of 
deepest contrition (which word means sorrow) 
for what she had said ; and then she would take 
them all in her arms, hugging them and kiss- 
ing them more than ever. 

Once she squeezed them so tightly that 
Clara’s bisque finger made a dent in Lilian’s 
soft, waxen cheek. When Bianca saw what 
her loving too hard had done, she dropped all 
of the dolls but Lilian, and began to cry. 
Her mamma was in the next room, and hur- 
ried into the nursery to see what had hap- 
pened to her pet, asking : — 

“ What is the matter, dear heart?” 

“ My dear Lilian has almost a hole in her 
cheek,” sobbed Bianca, at the same time 
holding out the doll for her mother to see 
the damage done. 


IO FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Never mind, darling,” said Mrs. Caldeau, 
kissing her little daughter ; “ Lilian has a nice 
dimple now.” 

“Oh! that’s so,” cried Bianca, drying her 
eyes, and smiling into Lilian’s pretty face. 
“ It really does look exactly like a dimple, 
and I don’t believe it hurts her now.” 

“ Of course it does not hurt Lilian,” replied 
Mrs. Caldeau ; “ dolls cannot feel anything 
any more than a china soup-tureen would 
or a wax cherry.” 

“ I suppose that ’s so,” agreed Bianca, doubt- 
fully ; “ but I always think perhaps they know 
what happens, even if they don’t show it.” 

Her mother kissed her, and laughed softly 
as she left the room, and Bianca began talk- 
ing to her dolls as usual. 

“ I know my mamma always tells the truth, 
but she may be mistaken ; so you must not 
feel hurt if she does say you are like a soup- 
tureen, Clara, because you are made of china, 
you know; and wax cherries are very pretty 
things, Lady Lilian, and they have rosy cheeks 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. II 


just like you, you poor dear! Oh! I forgot; 
you are not a poor dear, because that hole is 
a dimple.” 

Just then Bianca felt something pulling at 
her hair, which made her jump with astonish- 
ment and look around ; but she saw nothing, 
and thought she must have been mistaken, 
so she placed Lilian in a rocking-chair, and 
picked up Clara, and said, with a long breath, 
“ Clara, I think you must eat something when 
I am away, for you seem to grow heavier 
every time I lift you, Miss fat dolly.” 

Again she felt her hair pulled, and quickly 
looked behind her little chair; but nothing 
appeared. 

“ I must be thinking so hard my thoughts 
pull my hair,” she said to Clara, as she laid 
her on the bed, and picked up Sambo and 
the bottle-baby. “ Sambo, I wonder why 
they made your face so black? It looks 
very black, my dear, beside Petite’s white face, 
especially when she shuts her brown eyes. 
Oh, dear ! something does pull my hair,” she 


12 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


cried again, jumping up from her seat, and 
nearly dropping Sambo and Petite in her haste. 
“ I wonder what it can be? ” she said, looking 
under her chair; and there crouched Bounce, 
her own gray kitten, its naughty tail jerking 
with mischief, and its eyes shining brightly. 

“You naughty kitty, you must take my 
hair for strings ; but I guess you would n’t like 
it if I pulled your hair, for I am sure you make 
a dreadful fuss if I just hold you for one little 
minute by your tail.” 

Bounce did not appear to mind the scold- 
ing a bit, for suddenly it made a wild dive 
for the dolls’ bed, crawling part way under it, 
and out scampered a mouse. 

“ Oh ! Bounce, you will tip over the bed if 
you are not careful,” screamed Bianca. 

The kitten reappeared at once, as if it 
understood what its little mistress had said, 
and tried in vain to find the mouse ; it was 
out of sight, however, and doubtless safe in 
its own home. 

Just then Bianca heard a latch-key in the 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 3 

front door ; and, knowing well that it was time 
for her father to return, she placed all her 
dollies in a chair, and rushed out of the room 
to greet him with a kiss. 

Very soon they dined, and after that Bianca 
had just time to put her dollies to bed, and 
look around to find out whether Bounce was 
hiding anywhere. 

That small kitty, you must know, was 
capable of playing many mischievous pranks, 
such as chewing dollies’ feet, or licking 
Lilian’s pink cheeks, or tearing off her flaxen 
hair. She was really a dreadful kitty if left in 
the nursery overnight, so Bianca did not go to 
bed until every corner had been searched. 

Bianca’s bedroom was the sweetest room 
in the house, with its white and gold paper, 
brass bed, and white furniture trimmed with 
gold. The two windows in the room were 
hung with white, short, dotted muslin; and 
Bianca’s mother slept in the very next room, 
with only a little hall and a bath-room 
between. 


14 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Good-night, mamma,” said Bianca, in a 
sleepy tone, while she was being tucked snugly 
into bed. 

“ Good-night, darling,” replied her mother, 
with a kiss; then Mrs. Caldeau turned out 



FAIRY STARLIGHT AROUSES BIANCA. 


the light, and left the room, shutting the door 
gently behind her. 

Bianca closed her eyes, and was soon in a 
profound sleep. She was wakened by an 
odd burning sensation on her arm, and to her 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 5 

astonishment she saw at the foot of the bed a 
beautiful little lady no larger than the bottle- 
baby. Bianca rubbed her eyes, and then 
looked again, and decided that the lady 
must surely be a real fairy (something she 
had long wished to see). She did not feel 
a bit afraid, and said politely, “What is your 
name, please?” 

“ Sh ! ” answered the fairy, “ don’t talk so 
loud. My name is Starlight.” 

“ What a pretty name,” whispered Bianca. 
“ Is that because you are covered with stars ? ” 

“Yes, that is the very reason,” replied the 
fairy, smiling sweetly at the little girl. 

Bianca glanced down at Starlight’s dress, 
which was all covered with tiny bright stars, 
and at her wand, which had a brighter star 
at the end. She was forced to wink her eyes 
when she looked at the fairy’s head, for there 
rested a crown of the brightest stars of all. 

“Why have you come to see me? I am 
glad you are here,” Bianca added hastily, 
afraid that the fairy might be sensitive. 


1 6 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ I knew that you would be surprised,” 
replied Starlight; “ but I have so often heard 
you say that you wished you could hear your 
dolls talk that I thought I would permit it. 
Sh ! please keep quiet,” she had to add, for 
Bianca almost screamed out loud in her joy. 
“ Get out of bed very quietly, and come with 
me,” said the fairy. 

Bianca slid to the floor, almost without a 
rustle ; and the next minute she was across the 
room, and peeping into the nursery through 
the open door. What do you suppose she 
saw? Clara seated at the toy piano, touching 
the keys very lightly with her tiny hands, 
while she watched Lilian, who was standing 
before the bureau trying on a hat, and Sambo, 
who was on the floor with Petite in his arms. 
He seemed to be engaged in feeding the baby. 
Bianca looked and looked, almost too sur- 
prised to breathe. 


CHAPTER II. 


QHE could hear Sambo saying, “De baby 
^ like Sambo, and de baby drink milk fo’ 
Sambo sho’ ; ” at the same time he held the 
tiny baby-bottle, and Petite drank away, with 
her brown eyes fixed on her friend’s black 
face, and was so delighted she had to stop 
drinking to say, “ Agoo, agoo.” 

“Ya, ya,” laughed Sambo; “dat’s my 
baby dat lubs Sambo. Drink some mo’, dat ’s 
a purty chile ; drink some mo’, honey.” 

Petite jumped with delight, and threw her 
hands so high in the air that she struck the 
bottle out of Sambo’s hand, and it fell to the 
floor, spilling milk in all directions. 

“ See what that child has done ! ” cried 
Clara. 

“ Oh ! my darling, come to your mother,” 
exclaimed Lilian. 


1 8 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Why, I did n’t know Lilian was Petite’s 
mother,” said Bianca to Starlight. 

“You will find out many things that you 
do not know, my dear,” the fairy replied in a 
whisper. Her voice sounded like the faint 
tinkle of the smallest bell, and Bianca loved 
to hear her speak, only she was afraid that 
the dolls would hear also, and that she would 
not have had for anything, she was so much 
interested in what she saw. Nevertheless, she 
could not help sighing, and Starlight asked : 

“ What is the matter, child ? ” 

“ I did not think you would hear that 
little sigh,” replied Bianca; “only I do 
wish that I could talk to my own dollies. 
Please, Fairy Starlight, do you not think 
that I might go in there and hug the 
bottle-baby? ” 

No wonder Bianca wished to hug Petite, 
for the tiny thing was lying in her mother’s 
arms, cooing as sweetly as possible, while 
Sambo was wiping up the milk on the floor, 
muttering away : — 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 19 

“ Missie Bianca will see dis hyar flo’, sho’, 
an’ what she tink, I wonda.” 

“ Oh, Sambo ! what have you in your 
hand?” shrieked Clara. 

“ I doan know jist what I has hyar. I dun 
took de fust rag I could lay dese hyar 
han’s on.” 

“ Well, I should think you did ! ” sputtered 
Clara, taking the “rag” out of Sambo’s 
hands ; and Bianca then saw that it was 
Clara’s new jacket, and the poor child would 
certainly have cried, if Starlight had not said 
at that very minute, — 

“ So you are not satisfied unless you speak 
to your dolls? Now listen carefully to every 
word that I say. You must not allow the 
dolls to know who you are. You can call 
yourself ‘ Bianca,’ for no one will suppose 
that you are a little girl.” As she said 
this last word, Starlight touched Bianca on 
the head with the wand. Again the child 
felt a hot glow; then she realized that the 
fairy must have touched her the other time 
when she felt the same sensation. 


20 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

‘‘What did you do that for ?' 1 she asked, 
half in anger. 

The fairy smiled, and replied, “ Look at 
your hands and feet.” 

Bianca did as she was told, and was sur- 
prised to find red shoes on her feet, and her 
hands not larger than Clara’s ; furthermore, 
she was clad in a pretty white dress, with a 
red sash around her waist. Bianca was really 
frightened for a second, and cried : — 

“ How will my papa and mamma know 
me?” 

Starlight replied gayly, “You dear child, 
you will resume your former size before 
morning. Now go into the next room, but 
remember that you will never hear the dolls 
speak again, if they discover who you are.” 

Bianca scarcely waited long enough to 
hear all the fairy said, as she darted into the 
nursery. 

All the dolls jumped with fright, and then 
looked coldly at the intruder, as if to say, 
“ What are you doing here? ” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 21 

Bianca felt ashamed when she saw how 
they received her, and she blushed before she 
spoke. “ I came to see you. Don’t you 
want me to stay? ” 

“ What is your name?” they asked. 

“ Bianca,” the child replied, trying hard 
not to be surprised when Sambo made faces 
at the bottle-baby, apparently to hear her 
coo, for Petite immediately began, “ Agoo, 
agoo.” 

Clara and Grace shook hands with Bianca, 
who fairly tingled all over with delight when 
she felt their touch. 

“You have come just in time,” they told 
her politely. 

“ How is that? ” 

“ Because we are going to Strangeland at 
one o’clock,” replied Grace, glancing at the 
clock which stood on the mantel in the big 
doll-house. 

Bianca looked at the clock too, and was 
surprised when she saw that it was really go- 
ingwith a soft little “ tick-tick,” just suited to 


22 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

its size. And to think that the dollies could 
tell the time ! Why, Bianca could not even 
do that herself ; and she had to ask Grace how 
soon it would be one o’clock. 

“ In ten minutes, so we must get ready.” 
Then began a bustle of preparation. Clara 
put on a hat; and Lilian gave Sambo the 
baby’s coat and lace cap. Then she put on 
a jacket and the new hat she had tried on. 

Bianca sat in the dolls’ rocking-chair, for her 
own chair was much too large, now that she 
was the size of a doll. She sat there watch- 
ing them get ready to start. Where Strange- 
land was she could not possibly imagine, so 
she just quietly waited for what was going to 
happen next. 

“Where is your hat, Bianca? ” said Lilian, 
suddenly, and Bianca answered : — 

“ It ’s in the next room.” She almost said, 
“ In my bedroom,” but remembered in time, 
and was very glad of an excuse to leave, in 
order to get it. She had to climb on a chair 
to reach the box, which was on a low shelf in 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 23 

the closet; but she was sadly disappointed to 
find that the hat was far too large. She put 
it on her head, and it came down to her eyes. 
Then she pulled' it off, and when she looked 
at it again, it appeared smaller. “ That ’s 
funny,” she thought. Again she put the hat 
on her head, and it fitted exactly. It was the 
same way with her little jacket; at first it was 
too large, and then it became just right. By 
this time Bianca was so excited, she could 
scarcely keep from tumbling off the chair. 
She got down safely, however, and trotted 
into the next room. None of the dolls were 
at all surprised to see her ready to start. 
They evidently thought it perfectly natural 
for her to arrive and have all her things in 
the next room. Bianca was glad that they 
did not ask her a lot of questions; if they 
had, she would not have known what to tell 
them. 

“ How long do you expect to stay in 
Strangeland ? ” she asked presently. 

“ Only a few hours,” replied Clara. “ I 


24 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


will take my watch with me to keep track of 
the time.” As she spoke she placed in her 
belt the tiny watch, which was dark blue with 
a pink flower painted on the blue. 

Bianca was very anxious to take it in her 
hand ; but she felt afraid to ask about too 
many things. She was charmed when Clara 


Iked over to her, and 
>wed her the watch, with 
: remark, “ Bianca’s aunt 
/e me this, and a string 
blue beads, and a pair 




of lovely ear- 


rings. 

Bianca knew that well 
enough, for only the day be- 


fore she had put the 
jewelry on her doll, 
and thought how 


CLARA POKED WITH HER PARASOL. 

pretty it looked ; but 
she wanted to see if the watch was really 
going. Sure enough, the little hands were 
moving, and the “ tick-tick,” sounded when 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 25 

the child held it to her ear. Then she gave 
it back to Clara, who said, “ It is time to start, 
Lilian.” 

“ Den yo’ mus’ be a good baby,” said 
Sambo, getting up off the floor with Petite in 
his arms. Petite’s long clothes reached to 
Sambo’s knees ; but he held the baby very 
nicely — talking to her every minute, while 
she cooed, “ Agoo, agoo,” as usual. 

Bianca was greatly agitated, and watched 
every movement. She wondered how they 
could go out of the front door, and not be in 
danger of awakening somebody. She was 
astonished when Clara walked to the mantel 
and poked the handle of her parasol against 
the back of the fire-place. Down came a 
little iron staircase which covered the red 
coals entirely. 

Clara ran up the stairs, followed by the other 
dolls ; of course Bianca went too, her heart 
beating pit-a-pat, every step she took. 


CHAPTER III. 


HE minute they reached the top stair, a 



A perfect flood of light nearly dazzled 
Bianca, but she was too busy watching the 
dolls to half notice what caused the light. 
She saw Clara touch an electric button, and 
the staircase closed. Bianca was not fright- 
ened, for she was certain that the dolls knew 
how to get back into the nursery. The child 
then saw another flight of stairs ; these were 
long and winding (or spiral, as they are 
called). On each side of the railing were 
electric lights no larger than a child’s thim- 
ble, and these were what made the brilliant 


light. 


“ Oh, take my hand ! take my hand ! ” cried 
Bianca, as they began to descend. She felt 
almost afraid. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 27 



“ Why, you little goose ! ” said Lilian, taking 
her by the hand ; “ of what are you afraid ? ” 
“ I don’t know 
exactly,” replied 
Bianca; “only 
everything makes 
me dizzy.” 

All the dolls 
(excepting Petite) 
laughed merrily, 
and Clara began to run down- 
stairs, which showed Bianca that 
there really was no danger ; but 
she held on to Lilian’s hand all 
the same, it felt so cunning. 

They finally reached the last 
step, and there was a square hall 
about the size of a doll-house, 
and on three sides there were 
small doors. Clara took out a 
tiny bunch of keys, and fitted one of them 
into the right-hand door, opened it, and they 
all passed through to the other side, where 



GOOD-EVENING, 
A PINK. 


SAID 


28 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

they were in a beautiful country. The trees 
looked like lovely maiden-hair ferns ; the 
flowers were as large as the dolls’ heads, 
and in each flower there was a face. For 
the flowers were alive. 

“ Good-evening,” said a pink, just as Bianca 
passed, and the child replied politely : 

“ Good-evening,” then she thought, “ There, 
I always wanted to know how flowers grew, 
and I will just ask her,” which she did. 

“ It is quite a long story,” said the pink, 
nodding her pretty head. “ Of course a little 
seed fell on the ground, and buried itself in 
the earth to keep warm.” 

“ Is it warm in the ground ? ” interrupted 
Bianca. 

“Yes, it is warm for a seed,” replied the 
pink. “ The seed lay in the ground for quite 
a while ; then it grew too large for its dress. 
First, a root crept down in place of feet, 
then a stem began to push its way to the air. 
The root loved the dark ground, and spread 
its little rootlets all around. They drank the 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 29 

moisture, or water that was in the ground, 
and absorbed, or ate, everything that was 
good for them which the earth supplied.” 

“ I did n’t know that roots got anything 
good from the ground,” said Bianca, very 
much interested. 

“ Yes, indeed, and the stem gets good 
things from the air. The root is my father, 
and the stem is my mother. I will call them 
root and stem because you will understand 
better.” 

“ I think that we will sit on that bench 
over there while you are talking to the pink,” 
said Lilian. 

The dolls went a short distance, and seated 
themselves, while the pink continued : — 

“ The stem breathed the air, drank the dew, 
and grew rapidly. It was so glad to be in the 
bright day. You see it is always light here.” 

“When do you sleep?” asked Bianca. 

“We take naps in the day-time just as 
babies do. But you must not ask so many 
questions, or I shall never finish.” 


30 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ I won’t say another word,” Bianca said ; 
so the pink told the rest of her story in 
peace. 

“ The stem was so happy that it sent out 
little branches (or stemlets) and green 
leaves; then a lovely bud appeared; next, the 
bud opened out all its leaves and became a 
flower. And here am I, the flower.” 

“ Is that the way you grew?” said Bianca. 
“ Well, you smell very sweet, and I thank 
you for telling me all that you did. Good- 
by, I must not stay any longer.” So saying, 
away the child ran over the grass, which 
looked like moss, it was so thick and green. 
She felt like lying right down on it, and roll- 
ing over and over ; however, she did nothing 
of the kind, but joined Clara, who was talking 
to another doll. 

Bianca felt a trifle shy at meeting a 
stranger; but Clara introduced her at once 
to her friend, and Bianca suddenly realized 
that she had seen her before. Yes, it cer- 
tainly was Bessie Ketchem’s talking-doll 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 3 1 

Bessie was one of Bianca’s intimate friends, 
and she had two big dolls. Bianca remem- 
bered that they were named “ Kate ” and 
“ May.” This little lady dressed in blue was 
“ Kate,” as Clara called her. 

“You seem surprised, Bianca,” said Clara. 

“ Do I ? Oh, excuse me, I have seen Kate 
before. That is — perhaps I am wrong — 
mistaken;” the child suddenly ceased to ex- 
plain, she was so embarrassed and fright- 
ened at what she had already said. She 
almost expected all the dolls to turn at once 
into stiff playthings again ; for did not Fairy 
Starlight say that it would surely happen if 
the dolls once discovered who Bianca was ? 
Fortunately Clara and Kate only thought 
Bianca very shy, and they turned to chat with 
Lilian, who spoke at that moment. 

“ Oh, girls, do come and see the little 
turtles,” begged May, who trotted up to the 
group. 

“ Why, what is the matter with them ? ” 
Kate asked. 


32 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Nothing, excepting that they look so 
cunning, just out of their shells, running to 
the sea.” 

They all started in the proper direction. 
Bianca fully recovered from her fright, as she 
had never seen any turtles as young as these. 
When they reached the sea, she found it 
not much larger than the duck pond in 
her uncle’s farm in the country, where she 
often went to spend the summer; but she 
dipped her little finger in the water, and 
tasted it, and found it was really salty. 
Bianca was fascinated by the baby turtles. 
They were scarcely out of the shell, but 
were hurrying to the sea as fast as they 
could go. 

“ Why, they have no shell ! I thought 
combs were made out of the tortoise-shell ? ” 
said Bianca to Lilian. 

“ What a child you are ! ” Lilian responded. 
“ Don’t you see the tiny spot nearly in the 
centre of each turtle’s back ? That is the 
shell beginning to grow, and by degrees 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 33 

layers of shell will be added until they grow 
large and handsome.” 

“ Where are their mothers ? ” questioned 
Bianca, gazing around for larger turtles. 

“ Goosie, they take care of themselves,” 
laughed Clara. “ The mothers dig deep holes 
in the sand, and, after placing the eggs in their 
nice bed, they cover them with more sand, and 
the heat of the sun hatches the eggs.” 

Bianca did not like to ask any more ques- 
tions just then; but she looked around for 
the sun, and discovered that Clara meant 
a beautiful, large, rose-colored ball of electric 
light which kept Strangeland nicely warmed. 

“ Alligators place their eggs in the sand, 
also,” continued Clara. “ They cover them 
with mud and dry leaves and sand. When 
the young alligators come out into the world, 
the mothers are there to guide them to the 
water ; and they take care of them until they 
are strong.” 

“ Where are they ? Will they kill us ? ” 
demanded Bianca. 


3 


34 fairy starlight and the dolls. 

“ They are on the river bank. I will show 
you presently; but they never kill in this 
country. Nothing kills in Strangeland.” 

“ How nice that is,” Bianca said con- 
tentedly. She was charmed later, when they 
walked over to the river bank, where the alli- 
gators switched their tails. The river re- 
minded Bianca of the rippling brook where 
she had caught tiny fish the summer she was 
six years old. 

On the banks of the Strangeland river there 
grew exquisite ferns, taller than any of the 
dolls, and among the leaves were tiny nests ; 
while just as tame as pets, blue and pink 
birds fed their young. 

Bianca held out her hand, and called 
gently, “ Come, birdie.” At once a pretty 
bird, no larger than an acorn, settled on her 
finger. It put its head on one side, and 
looked at Bianca with its sharp, black eyes, 
and then sang a beautiful song. Bianca was 
so happy she gave a skip, and away flew the 
bird. The child looked ready to cry, until 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 35 

Kate said, “ Never mind, it will come to you 
some other time. Besides, we want to see 
something else now.” They turned to go, 
and Clara put her arm around Bianca’s waist, 
which made her happy once more. 

Just think of her own dolly being able 
to hug her and talk to her ! It was de- 
lightful ! She wondered what Clara would 
say, if she really knew that her friend was her 
little mistress ! Bianca was smiling at the 
thought, when up rushed Sambo, with Petite 
in his arms screaming and crying in a very 
naughty fashion. 

“What on earth is the matter with that 
darling child?” exclaimed Lilian, much 
alarmed. 

“ Nuffin in de worP ’ceptin’ she am dat bad 
sho’, she deserbs a good trouncin’, if eber eny 
chile did,” scolded Sambo, his eyes rolling 
wildly in his effort to hold Petite, who was 
kicking violently, her poor little distorted 
face red with crying. 

“ Why, Sambo, how can you speak so of 


3 6 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

my precious lambkin?” replied Lilian, in a 
tone of relief. She took Petite in her arms, 
and tried to quiet her, which she succeeded 
in doing after a few minutes; then she 
noticed that Petite grasped something tightly 
in her hand. “ What can that queer-looking 
thing be?” asked Lilian, at the same time 
trying to open the baby’s fingers. 

“ Dat dare am a tail, I reckon,” muttered 
Sambo, in an aggrieved tone. He had not 
gotten over Petite’s bad behavior. 

“ A tail ! ” screamed Lilian and Clara in the 
same breath. “ What kind of a tail ? ” 

By this time Lilian had the member in her 
own hand, gazing upon it in amazement. 
Petite broke out afresh in naughty screams, 
and Sambo shouted above the noise : — 

“ It am a lizard’s tail ; de baby saw de 
gray and pink lizard, an’ she mus’ hab it. So 
I gib it ter her ; but she dun shake it so hard 
de lizard snapped off its tail and runned 
away; and de baby yell ’cause de lizard 
would n’t stan’ and be shook up,” and again 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 37 

Sambo rolled his eyes and continued, “ dat 
chile was pow’ful bad dis hyar time.” 

Petite suddenly stopped crying, and held 
out both arms to Sambo, with a sweet smile. 
Sambo looked at her, shook his head, and 
then took her and hugged her, saying softly, 
“ But de baby lubs Sambo, and Sambo lubs 
de baby all de same,” and away he went with 
Petite, who was crowing and trying to call 
“ Sambo.” 

Meanwhile Bianca said, “ The poor lizard 
must have suffered when Petite pulled off its 
tail.” 

“ Why, child, that baby could n’t pull off a 
lizard’s tail. That kind of a lizard always 
drops its tail when it gets frightened.” 

“ What does it do when it gets frightened 
after its tail is gone?” demanded Bianca. 

Clara laughed and answered, “ Its tail grows 
on again in a month, so you see it can keep 
on snapping it off, just like a piece of glass.” 

Bianca had to laugh; and nothing would 
do, but she must see such queer reptiles. 


38 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

They took her to that part of Strangeland ; 
and she saw many lizards snap off their tails, 
just because they were angry with one 
another. She also saw funny lizards which 
threw forward high ruffles, which were around 
their necks. They looked so fierce, the child 
was afraid to approach them ; but the dolls 
told her not to be alarmed, for they would 
not hurt her. So she took one in her hand ; 
but it felt so unpleasant, she quickly put it on 
a tree, and said, “ Let us go somewhere else, 
I don’t like this place very much.” 


CHAPTER IV. 


“ LT OW soon are you going home?” 

A demanded Bianca, after they had 
walked a few steps. 

“Why, do you feel tired?” said Kate. 
“Yes, I really think I am very tired, my 
feet are so small now.” No sooner had she 
uttered the words, than she quickly placed 
her hand over her mouth, thinking, “ Oh, dear ! 
They surely will know who I am now;” but the 
dolls only gazed at the child. They showed 
that they considered her extremely silly to 
talk of her small feet, as theirs were no larger ; 
in fact, Lilian had even smaller feet, and she 
told Bianca so, adding kindly, — 

“ If you are tired, dear, we can drive over 
and see the monkeys and parrots ; they will 
certainly amuse you.” 


40 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Bianca wondered where they would find a 
carriage. She was not long in doubt, for 
Clara hailed a policeman. He was so cun- 
ning in his regular policeman’s uniform that 
Bianca forgot that she was only a doll herself, 
and she rushed to him and tried to take him 
up in her arms to kiss him. 

All the dolls shouted, “ Why, Bianca ! ” 
and the policeman was furious, and terribly 
red in the face. To think that any one 
should dare to take such liberties with him 
overcame him with shame. 

Poor Bianca sank on the ground, and 
covered her face with her arms. 

“ I ’ll call th’ patrol wagon, so I will,” sput- 
tered the little Irishman. 

u Please don’t, please don’t, I forgot — ” 
then the child stopped short, remembering 
how impossible it would be for her to explain, 
and she began to cry. 

“ Ah, don’t ye cry thin. I ’ll not be afther 
runnin ye in this toime,” said the policeman, 
tapping her playfully on the arm with his 
club. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 4 1 

So Bianca got up, and implored Clara, 
“ Let us go — oh, please let us go away.” 

All the dolls glared at her reproachfully, 
but Clara asked the policeman to call a car- 
riage instead of the patrol wagon ; so he 
stepped up to an alarm box and touched a 
button, and in two or three minutes Bianca 
was frightened almost to death, for along 
dashed two milk-white horses, hitched to a 
doll’s three-seated carriage, without a driver. 
“ There comes a run-away,” she screamed. 
“ Don’t be silly,” reproved May ; “ that is 
the carriage which we just ordered. Did you 
expect it to go like a snail? ” 

Bianca gave no reply. Her eyes were like 
two moons, so round were they, for she had 
just heard one of the horses say politely, 
“ Where do you want to go? ” 

The dolls did not seem in the least sur- 
prised ; and Lilian replied, “To the monkeys 
and parrots, please.” Then they all got into 
the carriage ; and the milk-white horses turned 
gently around, and started on a brisk trot. 


42 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Bianca glanced back at the policeman, who 
was all over his anger, for he certainly threw 
her a kiss. 

The dolls saw him and laughed ; and Bianca 
felt happier to think that she had not hurt his 
feelings after all. 

She began to look around with some inter- 
est; the roads were all covered with thick 
moss, and the horses seemed to enjoy run- 
ning over the soft carpet. Bianca was on 
the front seat with May, and she asked 
her, — 

“ Do the horses mind being hitched to the 
carriage ? ” 

“ Oh, I guess not,” was the reply. 

“ Certainly we don’t mind it,” called out 
one of the horses ; “ we think it is great fun, 
don’t we, Swift? ” 

“Yes,” responded his companion, tossing 
his head; “we are so strong, and we never 
take too many people at a time.” 

“ Oh, dear me ! ” Lilian cried out, “ we 
forgot Sambo and Petite. Do you mind go- 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 43 

in g back for them? I think they must be at 
the fish pond.” 

“We don’t mind,” replied the horses. 

“ All right,” said Lilian, and soon they were 
being carried rapidly toward the fish pond. 
Bianca was charmed with everything she 
saw. There were flowering bushes, and fruit- 
trees of all kinds, — oranges, apples, pears, 
bananas, and everything, but they were very 
small. Several times the horses were asked 
to stop, while the dolls gathered fruit. The 
minute they plucked anything, a lovely 
flower appeared on the stem where the fruit 
had hung ; and when Bianca asked why that 
was so, Clara said, — 

“ First the flowers come, aad then by to- 
morrow the petals, or leaves of the flowers, 
drop off, and a peach, orange, or whatever 
the fruit is, will grow.” 

“ How nice that is ! But if all the fruit is 
not picked, does it spoil or drop off? ” . 

“ No,” said Clara, “ it never has a chance ; 
for in the morning most of the fruit is gath- 


44 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

ered by the birds and animals ; and it would 
not spoil anyhow.” 

By this time they had readied the fish 
pond, and, sure enough, there was Sambo 
holding Petite near the water and dropping 
in little pieces of bread for the fishes to 
eat, while Petite laughed and jumped with 
happiness. Every minute or so she would 
put one hand in the water, and try to catch a 
fish. They were so tame that she could 
touch them, but their slippery bodies glided 
right away from her grasp, before her fingers 
could clutch them; then she would scream 
with excitement, while Sambo joined her in a 
loud, “ Ha, ha.” The dolls were all laughing 
at the sight ; but there was no time to lose, 
if they wished to see the Monkeyland. 

“ Sambo, give me the baby,” Lilian ex- 
claimed, “ and you can jump on behind. We 
have wasted much more time than we should, 
as it is.” 

Sambo jumped up with a sober face, first 
giving Petite to Lilian, who immediately said 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 45 

severely, “ Why, Sambo, this child’s sleeve is 
soaking wet, and she will surely have the 
croup. How could you be so careless? ” 

Sambo scratched his head in much distress, 
and replied, “ Why, yo’ see, it war dis hyar 
way; de baby was habin’ a mighty good 
time sho’, an’ I didn’ jes ’pear ter think of her 
gittin’ wet. I ’se pow’ful sorry.” 

“ Oh, you need n’t worry about the child’s 
taking cold,” shouted one of the horses ; 
u this water never harms any one. In fact, in 
the future she can never take cold from wet- 
ting that arm in any water after she has had 
it in the lake.” 

“ If that is the case, we must all bring our 
bathing suits and go in bathing, some time, 
and then we will never take cold,” remarked 
May. To this the others assented. 

All this time they were being carried 
swiftly over the mossy grass, in the direction 
of Monkeyland. Petite of course wanted 
every orange and every flower she saw ; but 
if the carriage had stopped each time she 


4 6 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

held out her chubby hand, they never could 
have reached their destination. 

At last there could be heard the greatest 
chatter and noise, which grew louder and 
louder every minute. It almost frightened 
Bianca, but she was ashamed to show it. 
Presently she gained enough courage to ask 
timidly, — 

“ What is that dreadful noise? ” 

“ Monkeys, of course. What did you sup- 
pose made a noise in Monkeyland if not 
monkeys?” replied Kate. 

“ Well, I did not know that we were there,” 
said Bianca. 

“ Nor are we quite there,” said Kate ; “ but 
we shall be in a minute.” 

By this time the shrill screams of the par- 
rots could be distinctly heard, mingled with 
the wild chatter of the monkeys. Evidently 
some trouble was brewing; and the horses 
hurried forward, as anxious as any one to see 
what was going on. Suddenly they swept 
around a mound of daisies, with such speed 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 47 

that the carriage nearly turned over, and then 
came to a full stop. What a sight was before 
Bianca ! Her eyes opened wider and wider. 
To be sure she had seen many monkeys, and 
parrots too, but not like these ; these parrots 
were blue, red, green, yellow, pink, — every 
color; and the monkeys were brown, silver, 
and even blue. They were everywhere in the 
trees and on the ground, running races over 
the bluebells and buttercups, and rubbing one 
another’s noses with them, to see the yellow 
come off the flowers onto their noses. At 
this they made hideous faces, and the parrots 
flapped their wings and laughed in high, 
shrieking voices. No wonder there was a 
noise ! Petite was in her element ; she began 
clapping her hands and raising her cries, 
“ Agoo, agoo, da, da,” until Bianca covered 
her ears with both hands. She soon took 
them down, however, for she was anxious not 
to miss anything. 

The monkeys seemed determined to pull 
out all the tails of the parrots, and the parrots 


48 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

seemed just as determined to keep their tails 
where they belonged. This led to an exciting 
chase ; but the monkeys had the best of it on 
the ground, so the parrots were soon forced 
to remain in the trees. 

This was what caused so much extra distur- 
bance. The parrots felt quite safe in the trees, 



and they appeared to enjoy the monkeys’ 
defeat, but not for long. Two or three cun- 
ning monkeys climbed and hung on limbs 
just above the parrots, and suddenly twisted 
their own twirly tails around a branch, swung 
rapidly down their full length, stretched 
out their long arms, and with a lightning-like 
jerk out came three handsome parrot-tails. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 49 

The shrieks of the poor birds were indeed 
terrible; while the chattering monkeys were 
off like humming-birds, and soon were seated 
quietly amid a number of admiring friends, 
distributing bright feathers in the most 
solemn fashion. Meanwhile the unhappy 
parrots flew away, screaming with rage. 

“ I thought nothing was harmed in this 
country,” said Bianca, in an aggrieved tone. 
She did not fancy seeing the poor parrots’ 
tails pulled out. 

“You see we cannot remember every- 
thing,” replied Clara; “ the monkeys are not 
really bad, they are only mischievous. The 
parrots do not belong here, and would prob- 
ably remain away, only they like to play 
around the monkeys ; so they must take the 
consequences.” 

Just then Kate exclaimed, “ Here comes a 
Gibbon.” 

It looked like a tall, fine, slender monkey, 
and it seemed almost to be flying through the 
air. It could jump from one tree to the 


4 


50 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

other, although ever so far apart. It would 
scarcely touch the branches, it went so 
rapidly. Suddenly it grasped a limb, drew it- 
self up swiftly to a sitting posture, and gave a 
strange cry ; then it shouted, “ The doors will 
be locked soon ; you had better go home.” 

“ Why, that is so,” said Kate, after glancing 
at her watch ; “ we have hardly time to leave 
you at your door and get home ourselves.” 

The horses heard, turned the carriage 
neatly, and sped forward as swiftly as 
possible. 

“ What would happen if we did not get 
home before the doors were locked?” asked 
Bianca. 

“You would be sorry, that is one thing 
certain,” replied Clara. “We could not get 
home to-night, and our little mistress would 
find us gone, and then we could never, never, 
walk or talk again.” 

Bianca did not dare say a word. 


CHAPTER V. 


' J ''HE next morning Bianca opened her 
eyes, and gazed around to see if she were 
really in her own room. Then she jumped 
out of bed and ran into the nursery, expect- 
ing to find all of her dolls walking around ; 
but no, there they were in exactly the same 
positions in which she had left them on the 
previous evening. 

At first she was disappointed. She sat 
down and began to cry, until she heard her 
mother calling, “ Bianca dear, where are you ? ” 

“ Here — I — am,” sobbed the little girl, 
jumping up and running to her mother, who 
at once took her in her arms, asking, with 
anxiety : — 

“What are you crying for, sweetheart? 
What has happened to my pet?” 


52 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Oh, mamma, I thought I went with my 
dollies to Strangeland last night when you 
were asleep ; and I must have been dreaming, 
and I am so sorry it isn’t true.” 

“ And you want to go to Strangeland 
without your mother, darling? ” asked Mrs. 
Caldeau. 

“It’s only a little way, just upstairs. No, 
I don’t mean upstairs, only through the fire- 
place by such cunning little stairs, and I held 
Lilian by the hand. Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! I 
wish it were true.” 

Mrs. Caldeau kissed Bianca, and asked her 
to relate all of the dream. She was greatly 
surprised to think that any little girl eight 
years old could have had such a long, pretty 
dream, and remember it so perfectly. 

Bianca’s only hope now was, that, when 
night came, she might again dream of her 
dolls. She thought and spoke of nothing else 
all day long; for Bessie came over and took 
dinner with her. Bessie brought May and 
Kate with her, and Bianca watched all the 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 53 


dolls closely, to see if they recognized one 
another; but it was useless, they were all 
as stiff and lifeless as could 
be. The children enjoyed 
playing with them ; but 
Bessie kept asking Bianca, 
every minute or so, to tell 
more of her nice 
dream. 

“ I wish it were 
really so, and that I 
could go to Strange- 
1 a n d with 
my dollies, 
too,” sighed ; 

Bessie. 



BESSIE BRINGS MAY AND KATE. 

The children had a pleasant day together, 
and in the evening they sat down with 


54 fairy starlight and the dolls. 

Mr. and Mrs. Caldeau to a delicious dinner. 
They were allowed to talk and laugh just as 
much as they pleased, so you may be sure 
they did a great deal of it. After dinner they 
went into the drawing-room, and there begged 
Mrs. Caldeau to tell them something naughty 
that she had done when she was a little girl. 

“ I was quite a good little girl, most of the 
time, my dear mother has often told me,” 
replied Mrs. Caldeau. 

“Yes, I am sure that you must have been 
good, mamma,” said Bianca; “but when you 
were naughty, were you ever punished?” 

Mrs. Caldeau’s eyes twinkled as she 
answered, “Yes.” 

“Were you really whipped?” eagerly ex- 
claimed the two children. 

“Yes, indeed, I certainly was ; and I will 
tell you one story, about a time when I was a 
very naughty girl and received a well-deserved 
punishment.” 

At this the children were delighted. Bianca 
crept into her mother’s arms, and Bessie sat 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 55 

on a little stool, at Mrs. Caldeau’s feet, while 
papa leaned back in a large arm-chair, com- 
fortably smoking, but listening to every word. 
He also wanted to hear about the time when 
mamma was naughty. It seemed so impossi- 
ble that dear mamma ever did anything very 
wrong. 

“Now go on, please,” urged the children. 

“ It happened when I was about five years 
old. We lived in a beautiful village where I 
had several nice friends with whom I played 
the live-long day. This time of which I am 
about to tell you was in August. I was 
spending the afternoon with a little friend 
whose name was Josie. She and I were great 
chums ; and on this occasion she, her brother, 
and an older sister were sitting among the 
branches of a large apple-tree, and of course 
I was with them, eating — what do you sup- 
pose? ” 

“ Apples,” chorussed the children. 

“ Yes, apples; but they were green apples, 
and I think that I must have eaten as many as 


5 6 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

three, although Fannie, the oldest sister, 
advised me not to eat any, as they would 
probably make me ill.” 

“ Were you ill? ” demanded Bianca. 

“Wait, and you will hear whether I was ill 
or not. I was enjoying every minute, although 
my dear mamma had told me not to eat even 
one green apple, and I was disobeying her, 
like a very bad, small child. In the midst of 
all this sport, I looked over the fence, and I 
saw my mamma walking right by us ; at the 
same time she spied her young daughter sit- 
ting in the tree ; she stopped and called me. 

“ ‘ My dear, you are not eating any apples, 
are you ? ’ 

“ I said ‘ No.’ ” 

“ Did you really, mamma? ” asked Bianca. 

“ I did, darling. It was very wrong, of 
course; but I knew that I had disobeyed 
your grandma, and that she was quite sure to 
punish me.” 

“ I think she was dreadfully mean,” de- 
clared Bianca. 



BIANCA AND BESSIE ASKING FOR STORIES. 




FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 59 

“ Hush, dear, your grandma was quite right ; 
for I had to learn to obey, otherwise I would 
suffer much needless pain, and often get into 
trouble, if I did not learn to understand that 
she loved me, and tried to teach me to do 
only what was right, and what would make 
me a happy child.” 

“Maybe that’s so,” agreed Bianca, with a 
tight hug around her mother’s waist ; “go on,” 
and Mrs. Caldeau continued. 

“ When I said No, your grandma thought 
that I looked guilty, and she said to Harry, 
‘Has Florence eaten any apples?’ ‘No,’ 
replied Harry. Then your grandma said, 
‘Josie, did Florence eat any apples?’ ‘No,’ 
poor Josie answered. Grandma then turned 
to Fannie, and asked the same thing; and 
Fannie said, ‘Yes, Florence has eaten one or 
two.’ ” 

“ Oh, wasn’t she just horrid?” exclaimed 
Bianca and Bessie. 

“ I do not think that she was,” said Mrs. 
Caldeau ; “ she did not want to tell a story ; 


60 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

and now you see what harm my diso- 
bedience had already done : it made me tell 
a story, and it also made my two dear little 
friends tell stories to shield me from punish- 
ment ; and after all I got just what I deserved. 
Your grandma said to me, ‘Go home, and 
stay until I come.’ This I did most re- 
luctantly. How I wished I had obeyed her. 

“ When I reached home, I ran into the bed- 
room where my sister and I slept, and took 
off all of my clothes, and slipped into my lit- 
tle night-dress, thinking that your grandma 
would believe that I was asleep, and would 
not waken me, and so I might escape pun- 
ishment.” 

The children laughed heartily at this part 
of the story ; and Bianca kissed Mrs. Caldeau’s 
cheek, saying, “ Poor little Florence ; poor 
little thing ! ” 

“ I went to bed,” continued her mother, 
with a smile ; “ and your grandma at last 
returned and called me. I waited until she 
called me a second time ; and then I did not 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 6 1 

dare wait any longer, but slipped slowly — 
slowly — out of bed, and, with a fluttering 
heart, I walked barefooted into your grand- 
ma’s room, and received the richly deserved 
spanking with her slipper.” 

“ Oh, I wish that you had not been 
whipped,” sighed Bianca. 

“ I wished it, too, just then ; but I did not 
feel half as unhappy as my precious sister 
did. When I went out of the room, she took 
me in her arms and sat down in a little rock- 
ing-chair, sobbing as if her heart would break; 
and we both sobbed together ; of course this 
made dear grandma very miserable.” 

Bianca and Bessie were nearly in tears 
themselves, so Mrs. Caldeau ended brightly : 

“ Our grief did not last long; and we were 
soon laughing gayly, while I dressed, and then 
went in to grandma and kissed her, and asked 
her to forgive me, which she did. The worst 
part of it all was, that the apples did make 
me sick ; and I ate no more, you can depend 
upon it.” 


62 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Mrs. Caldeau had hardly finished the story, 
when the carriage drove up for Bessie, and 
there was a big bustle and hurry to get her 
wrapped up and started off safely ; then Bianca 
had a romp with her father, and he carried 
her up to the nursery, pig-a-back. Mrs. Cal- 
deau put her in her little nest of a bed. 

“ Good-night, dear mamma,” said the child, 
sleepily; “ I wish I could dream some more 
about my dollies.” 

“ I wish that you could, dear, as it gives 
you so much pleasure,” replied her mother, 
with another kiss. 

Bianca cuddled down under the covers, and 
soon was fast asleep. 


CHAPTER VI. 



HE next thing Bianca knew, there came 


the same burn on her hand ; and when 
she opened her eyes, there stood Fairy Star- 
light, laughing her sweet, silvery laugh. 

“ Oh, I am dreaming again ! ” whispered 
Bianca. She was so afraid that she would 
wake she almost held her breath. 

“ My dear, you are quite wrong to think 
for a moment that you are dreaming ; get up 
and see for yourself.” 

The child started ; but before she was fairly 
on her feet she heard Petite crying as if her 
heart were broken. 

“ What is the matter with the bottle-baby? ” 
questioned Bianca. 

“ I really do not know,” replied Starlight ; 
“ you must go and see for yourself, they are 
expecting you.” 


64 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ But I thought that you said if they found 
out that some real person saw them walk and 
talk they could never do so any more,” said 
the child. 

“ That is true, my dear ; but they have never 
discovered it yet.” 

“You are mistaken,” declared Bianca; “I 
spoke to my mamma right before all the dolls, 
so they must have heard.” 

“You are a foolish little girl, my dear, to 
suppose that they can hear, see, or feel any- 
thing while they are daytime dolls. How 
could they bear the pins stuck in them with- 
out screaming? No, you can say what you 
choose in the daytime ; they will never be the 
wiser.” 

“ I am so glad,” laughed Bianca, clapping 
her hands ever so softly. She had now 
grown as small as Lilian, and had on a 
neat walking-dress. It did not take her 
long to bid Starlight “ good-by ; ” but she 
was no longer anxious about Petite, as 
the baby had ceased to cry. Suddenly 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 65 

Bianca wished to know something that she 
had never thought to ask before, and she 
turned just in time to see Starlight bal- 
ancing on the window-sill, and growing 
smaller and smaller. 

“ Oh, please don’t grow any tinier, or I 
cannot see you,” begged the child. 

“ I must go home,” said Starlight, in such 
a faint voice Bianca could never have heard, 
if she had not become a wee dolly girl, and 
had little ears to catch the little voice of the 
fairy, so she replied, — 

“ That is just what I wanted to ask you. 
Where is your home?” 

“ I should think you would know with- 
out asking,” retorted Starlight. “ In the 
sky, of course ! Where else do you see any 
stars ? ” 

“ How lovely ! Then there are stars fas- 
tened to all fairies’ dresses and crowns and 
wands? ” 

“ No, indeed. They are all quite differ- 
ently dressed.” 


5 


66 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ I should think that you would get tired, 
travelling so far to the sky,” said Bianca, 
thoughtfully. She had forgotten all about 
the dolls, she was so much interested in the 
fairy. 

“ We all find it a pleasant journey, and I 
may tell you more sometime ; but here you 
are, keeping me, and it will take ever so long 
before I reach my stars.” 

“Just tell me how you get up there, and I 
will not say another word,” Bianca urged, as 
she saw her disappearing. 

“ I ride on a fire-fly ; and when people see 
my little stars in the air, they think, ‘ What 
a bright fire-fly ! ’ Good-by.” And Star- 
light had slipped through the crack of the 
window, and disappeared from view. 

It did not take Bianca long to remember 
the dolls, and, placing a hat on her head, she 
ran into the nursery. 

“ There she is ! ” they shouted, merrily ; 
“ we have been waiting ever' so long for you. 
We want to start right away.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 67 

“Why, are you going to Strangeland ? ” 
queried Bianca. 

“ No, not at present. We get tired of 
just the same place all the time; but you 
will soon know what we intend to do,” said 
Clara, hopping up on a doll’s chair so as 
to be able to see the bottom of her dress 
in a mirror; then, turning to Lilian, she 
remarked, “You said that my dress did not 
hang right, but I don’t see anything the 
matter with it.” 

Lilian stepped forward, and gave the skirt 
such a sudden jerk in the back, Clara nearly 
tumbled off the chair. 

“ I don’t think that was very polite,” she 
cried, angrily. 

“ Well, excuse me, then,” answered Lilian, 
in the same tone ; “ your dress was crooked, 
and you were so determined to have your own 
way.” 

“You naughty dolls, to quarrel; if you 
do not stop at once, I will give you both 
a good spanking ! ” shouted Bianca, for- 


68 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

getting all about their not knowing who 
she was. 

They both turned on her furiously, demand- 
ing, “What do you mean? How dare you 
speak to us that way? ” 

Everything would most likely have ended 
badly, right there, if Bianca had not realized 
what a mistake she had made ; and it seemed 
so absurd she burst out laughing; and, think- 
ing she had been only in fun, they all joined 
in, Sambo loudest of all, while Petite almost 
danced, she was so excited, and shouted, 
“ By-by, by-by ! ” 

“Did you ever see such a darling?” said 
Lilian. “The idea of that child reminding us 
that it is time to start ! ” 

Bianca was delighted to have them go, as 
the hands of the toy clock had moved many 
minutes since the discussion began. 

It was not long now before they had gone 
through the fire-place, up the winding stairs, 
and stood before one of the little doors, which 
Clara unlocked ; when they had passed 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 69 


through, Bianca exclaimed joyfully, “ How 
cunning ! oh, how sweet ! ” 

No wonder, for they had stepped into 
a village, apparently, and here and there 
strayed toy cows, munching the greenest of 



grass, while cunning trees shaded the most 
charming little houses imaginable, — really, 
doll-houses. Even as Bianca gazed spell- 
bound, she saw a window flung open, and out 
leaned a neat doll, with clean cap and apron. 


70 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

She at once began dusting the sill with a 
duster no larger than a buttercup. 

“ It can dust arid work. Oh, look at it ! ” 
cried Bianca, in a perfect transport of delight. 

“ Why, how funny you are ! ” exclaimed 
Lilian ; “ what would you expect of a maid, 
if she could not dust or work ? ” 

“ Of course, I did n’t stop to consider,” 
replied Bianca, blushing to think how careless 
she had been ; then she became wild to go all 
over the dear little .house ; and she could not 
resist asking, “ Do you think that doll would 
let us go through the house? ” 

Clara appeared very much amused at this, 
and replied gayly, “You certainly are the 
most curious doll of my acquaintance; but 
fortunately this time you can have your own 
way, for the house belongs to us.” 

“ To you? Why I never saw it before.” 

“ And why should you have to see it, to 
make it belong to us ? ” Clara retorted in 
surprise. 

“ To be sure. I am getting very foolish,” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 7 1 

Bianca answered; biting her tongue to keep 
from saying anything more. 

By this time they reached the front door, 
and Sambo rang the bell. Then they all 
heard the queerest, sharpest bark, right at 
Bianca’s feet, which made her jump. 

“Yo’ need n’t go fo’ ter be scared, Miss 
Bianca,” said Sambo, with a grin that showed 
all of his teeth, which so charmed Petite, 
that she immediately thrust her hand into 
Sambo’s mouth, and tried to pull some of 
them out; when she discovered that they 
would not move, she screamed. At that 
moment the door was flung open by the 
nice little maid, and out rushed the smallest 
dog you ever saw, only about the size 
of a bumble-bee. It jumped and barked 
with such joy when it saw the family, that 
Petite forgot all about Sambo’s teeth, and 
reached for the dog. 

“ Down, down, Dimple,” said Lilian to the 
dog; but Bianca picked him up in her arms, 
although he evidently did not care to have 


72 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

her take such liberties with him at first ; then 
he seemed pleased, and licked her hand with 
his pink tongue, as she walked into the draw- 
ing-room with the rest. 

They were no sooner seated than Petite 
(who was next to the dog) buried her 
fingers in his long hair, and gleefully 
pulled it so hard that poor Dimple, after 
a struggle, tore himself away, and raced 
out of the room yelping. Petite was told 
that she was a bad girl, but she did not 
seem unhappy ; on the contrary, she busied 
herself trying to pull Sambo’s . woolly hair, 
which was happily much too short for her 
fat fingers to grasp, so she kicked and car- 
ried on disgracefully. 

After they had reduced the bottle-baby to 
order, Clara asked Bianca to come with her, 
and she should see all of the house. Off they 
started, while Lilian stayed behind to hold 
Petite, and Sambo went to warm some milk to 
fill the bottle, hoping to put the baby to 
sleep for a little while. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 73 

As for Bianca, she had never been happier 
in her life. How often she had wished that 
she was able really to walk in a doll’s house ; 
and here was a beautiful little house, the 
whole thing no larger than her bed-room. 

Imagine the dining-room with the white 
cloth being laid for dinner, and a dinner-set 
of beautiful china and cut-glass. Every- 
thing you could think of was in this house, 
— bed-rooms with their brass beds and 
silken draperies, and white lace curtains at 
the windows. 

As Bianca passed from one room to the 
other and closed the doors behind her, she 
could hardly breathe, she was so excited. 
“ Do you keep anything in the bureau- 
drawers and the closets ? ” she asked pres- 
ently. 

“ Most certainly. Where would we keep 
our clothes ?” replied Clara. 

“ Why, I supposed your clothes were all in 
the nursery,” said Bianca. 

“ If that were the case, how could we go to 


74 fairy starlight and the dolls. 

nice balls, to the theatre, opera, and a dozen 
other fashionable places, I should like to 
know ? ” replied Clara, scornfully. 

Bianca’s feelings were a trifle hurt at this, 
for she had always considered that she had 
beautiful clothes for her dollies ; but she only 
remarked, “ I thought that you had nice 
clothes.” 

“Yes, we have pretty dresses; but our 
little mother throws them helter-skelter all 
together in our drawer, and they are so 
mussed, how can we wear them on any nice 
occasion ? ” 

Bianca blushed guiltily, for she knew that 
Clara was only speaking the truth, and she 
determined in the future to try and be more 
careful. 

Clara meanwhile opened a closed door, 
and began taking down exquisite dresses of 
all kinds ; and, having gained permission to do 
so, Bianca opened one drawer of the bureau 
after the other, and there saw the dearest 
little sets of clothing all trimmed with lace 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 75 

and ribbons. In short, she soon discovered 
that her dolls had hats, gloves, umbrellas, 
mackintoshes, — in fact everything needful, but 
smaller and daintier than she could have 
believed. 


CHAPTER VII. 


T)IANCA would no doubt gladly have 
spent the rest of the night looking at 
all these lovely things, but Clara was a little 
uneasy, and said : — 

“ If you want to see the kitchen, you must 
hurry ; for we are going out right after 
dinner.” 

Bianca was only too anxious not to miss 
anything interesting; so they were soon 
wending their way down the twisted back- 
stairs, and presently found themselves in the 
kitchen so suddenly that they heard Sambo 
say to Chloe, the colored doll cook : — 

“ Dar ’s one ting sho’. I tink it ’s mighty 
hard fo’ yo’ ter hoi’ off and hoi’ off, when 
yo’ ’s sech a fine cook, and I wants yo’ fo’ my 
wife, sho’ es I ’se standin’ in dis hyar spot.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 77 

Bianca burst out laughing; it seemed so 
perfectly funny to think of Sambo’s getting 
married to a doll that she had never seen 
before. At the sound Sambo was so startled 
that he jumped up with a shout of : — 

“ Lawdy ! Lawdy ! What ’s dat ? ” and 
down came the bottle of warm milk which he 
was holding in his hand. Crash ! went the 
glass, and the milk was spilled all over 
the clean kitchen-floor. A kitten scampered 
from under the stove with a bristling back 
and tail. The next minute it spied the milk, 
and began lapping it up eagerly. 

Chloe’s turban fairly trembled on her head, 
she was so angry when she saw the damage 
that had been done to her nice, shining floor ; 
and up she marched to the unfortunate 
Sambo, and straightway boxed his big, black 
ears; at the same time she shouted, “ Dar, 
take dat, yo’ black trash, cornin’ ’roun’ hyar 
in dis clean kitchen. I dun swept an’ 
scoured dis bery mornin’, an’ now yo’ is 
flingin’ milk ’roun’ des ter pester me.” 


78 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Sambo clapped his hands to his ears with 
a cry of pain and surprise, and was about to 
reply, when Clara stepped forward, with a 
frown of displeasure, and said : — 

“ I am astonished at this display of temper, 
Chloe ! You must know that Sambo never 
meant to hurt your floor, and far less did he 
intend to hurt your feelings.” 

“Yas, ma’am, dat ’s de truf,” said Sambo. 
“ Chloe ’s too quick wid her han’s, but I for- 
gibs her.” 

“ Very well, that will do, Sambo,” replied 
Clara. “ Fill another bottle as quickly as pos- 
sible; your mistress must surely be tired of 
waiting for you.” 

Fortunately there was some milk already 
heated ; and with wild haste Sambo filled the 
bottle, and, dodging Chloe, left the room. 

Chloe washed her hands, and sat down 
in one corner to mix tea-biscuits, which 
fascinated Bianca, for she had always been 
anxious to cook in her real stove, and 
here was a doll stove, complete in every 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 79 

particular. Her fingers were fairly tingling 
to begin. 

“ I do wish that I could mix these bis- 
cuits, and bake them myself,” she said to 
Clara. 

“That is a queer wish,” Clara replied; 
“ but you can do so if you are not afraid 
of spoiling your pretty dress.” 

“ Chloe can lend me a big apron,” said 
Bianca, and then had to smile at the thought 
of calling it a “ big apron,” for it was no 
larger than a small handkerchief, Chloe being 
a very short and fat colored doll. 

You must remember that everything Bianca 
saw, when she left the nursery to go any- 
where with the dolls, was just the size of the 
dolls’ things, or furniture you have seen. It 
is just as if you were made as tiny as your 
doll, and then walked into your doll-house or 
the doll-houses you have seen in the toy 
stores at Christmas time. 

It did not take Bianca long to be seated 
with the pan of flour in her lap ; her hands 


80 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 



BIANCA MAKES BISCUITS. 


were soon buried in it. Of 
course she had first washed 
them at the sink, and wiped 
them on the clean roller- 
towel hanging behind the 
kitchen door. How happy 
the dear child 
felt when she 
placed the dough on the 
table, and rolled it out 
nicely, patting it here and 
there ; then she cut dear 
little round pieces out, and 
put them nicely in a pan 
which Chloe brought in 
wide-eyed amazement. 
The negro dolly was aston- 
ished to find a little lady 
anxious to cook, when it 
was not necessary. 

Presently Bianca took 
the pan of biscuits, and 
started for the stove. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 8 1 

“ I ’ll put dem in de ubben, missie,” said 
Chloe, hurrying forward. 

“ No, no, I want to do it myself,” said 
Bianca, quickly, and raising her foot she tried 
to open the door of the oven ; but, alas ! in- 
stead, she sat on the floor with a hard thump, 
and the biscuits nearly jumped out of the 
pan. 

“Are you hurt?” exclaimed Clara, anx- 
iously. 

“No,” sighed Bianca, “I don’t think so; 
but I did n’t know that the floor was so 
slippery.” 

“It’s dat milk Sambo spilt all ’roun’,” 
muttered Chloe, as Bianca reached out and 
opened the oven-door with one hand, while 
she held the pan with the other. Out came 
the hot air, and in went the pan of biscuits, 
much to Bianca’s delight. Then she let 
Clara help her to her feet, and expressed 
herself tired of cooking for one day. 

Next she looked in the pantry, and out of 
the kitchen window, where she could see 
6 


82 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

clean doll clothes hanging out on a iine, and 
Dimple, the dog, chewing up a stocking 
which had fallen on the grass. Bianca was 
about to tell Clara, when out marched the 
little maid to announce dinner. She had been 
searching all over the house for them. 

Bianca ran up the back-stairs; and, after 
brushing her hair, and washing her hands, 
and dusting off the flour, she came into the 
dining-room, as fresh as a rose, and was 
given the seat of honor at Clara’s right 
hand. 

They had scarcely been served with soup 
when the front door-bell rang, and a card was 
brought to Lilian, who glanced at it, then 
said to the others, »“ It is Kate, and she wants 
to speak to me for a minute, so you will ex- 
cuse me.” Lilian left the room, soon return- 
ing with Kate, who was invited to dine with 
them, and sat down. 

“Where is May? ” asked Clara. 

“ She is going to meet us later,” said Kate. 

“ Where are we going? ” inquired Bianca. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 83 

“ Coasting,” replied Lilian. 

“Coasting?” exclaimed Bianca, “Why, 
how can we slide down-hill, when the grass 
is green, and flowers are growing all around 
us?” 

The three dolls laughed merrily, and told 
Bianca just to wait and she would find out 
all that she wanted to know about coasting. 
She was forced to be content with that until 
the dinner was over, and the carriage at the 
front door. 

“ I thought we were going coasting,” said 
Bianca, on her way to the carriage. 

“ So we are,” replied Lilian, as she stepped 
in. 

Bianca soon forgot all about the coasting, 
she was so occupied with all she saw from 
the open carriage, — the tiny horses; beauti- 
ful climbing roses in every yard ; the cows ; 
even occasionally a fat pig, really a grown-up 
pig, but in size as a dolly pig would have 
to be, about as big as a small puppy. On 
some of the pretty lawns dolly children were 


84 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

playing hide-and-seek and all manner of 
games. One child stood outside of her front 
gate holding up her dress, which was filled 
with pink-and-white clover blossoms. She 
was feeding a gentle red cow. 

“ That is one of Grace Whitney’s dolls,” 
shouted Bianca, nearly springing from the 
carriage. 

“How could you tell that?” asked Clara, 
at the same time catching Bianca by the 
dress, and pulling her down on the seat. 

“ How did I know? ” replied Bianca, 
abashed, “I — I knew ; that is all.” She 
thought to herself, “ I am sure that I will let 
these dolls find out that I am their little 
mother, before I know it, some day, and then 
I shall never see them walk or talk again,” 
and, to change the subject, she quickly said, 
“Where are Sambo and Petite?” 

“ I left Petite asleep, and Sambo making 
friends with Chloe,” said Lilian, adding, in a 
tone of delight, “ Here we are at last ! ” 

“ So we are ! ” agreed the others, gayly, all 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 85 

but Bianca, who could not see that they were 
anywhere in particular, unless they meant the 
park they were driving through. She had 
little leisure for thought, as the carriage 
stopped, and they all jumped out and walked 
to a strange-looking building which resem- 
bled a steamboat more than anything else, 
only it appeared to have huge wings, which 
puzzled the child. She could not imagine 
what they were for. Just then May came 
from somewhere, and greeted them all warmly, 
adding, “You must hurry; the Launcher is 
about to start.” 

At this Clara ran ahead, and bought some 
tickets of the man at the door of the strange 
boat. They were soon on board ; barely in 
time, for a bell .rang, the wings flapped, and 
up flew the boat. 

Bianca did not expect anything like that. 
She was looking over the railing just as the 
wings fluttered ; and when she saw the boat 
rise up from the ground, she screamed out in 
terror. 


86 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Hush, for pity’s sake ! ” scolded Lilian. 
“ What is the matter with you ? ” 

“ Don’t you see we are leaving the ground ? 
Oh, dear ! Let me out ! Let me out ! ” shouted 
Bianca, at the same time jumping up and down, 
and wringing her hands in despair; for each 
second they were flying upwards more rapidly. 

“ How perfectly silly you are ! ” said Lilian, 
giving her a little shake. “ You are not going 
to be hurt; this is a flying boat. Did you 
never see one before?” 

“ Never, never ! and I don’t like it a bit,” 
replied Bianca. All the same she soon quieted 
down, and began to enjoy the swift motion 
through the air. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


T)IANCA watched the dolls walking be- 
neath them, and the many house-tops 
that were left so swiftly behind. She was 
beginning to enjoy herself, when Kate touched 
her elbow, and said, “ Come, we must change 
our clothes.” 

Bianca could not imagine why Kate had to 
change her clothes; but she was getting 
accustomed to queer things by this time, and 
followed Kate into the cabin. There she dis- 
covered a long drawing-room, out of which 
opened smaller rooms. Kate marched into 
one of these, closely followed by Bianca, who 
found all the party of dolls dressing in warm 
winter dresses, overshoes, and hoods. Bianca 
stared at them, wondering what was going to 
happen next. 


88 FATRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Hurry and put on these nice warm flan- 
nels,” said Kate, handing Bianca several 
pieces of dark-blue clothing. 

“ But I am warm enough,” objected Bianca. 

“Just do as Kate says, for we haven’t five 
minutes left,” urged Lilian, as she drew on a 
pair of leggins in the greatest haste. 

Bianca thought it best to obey. She was 
soon ready ; and they went outside, where she 
had another fright, for the boat was flying 
right towards two large iron doors, and she 
thought, “ Now we surely will die,” and began 
to say her prayers as fast as she could. The 
other dolls asked her what she did that for ; 
and when she told them, with a trembling 
voice, they all laughed, and Clara said, “My 
dear, I don’t know what we can do with you, 
if you are going to be frightened at every 
little thing. Those doors are opening now, as 
you see.” 

Sure enough they were. Bianca observed 
first a little crack, then a larger one, and soon 
they swung wide open, while a blast of icy 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 89 

air blew out. The double view was exquisite 
and wonderful. Sweet, fragrant summer, 
with its flowers and green trees, was spread 
behind them ; while on the other side, beyond 
these wide-open doors, was a winter scene of 
sparkling beauty, — hills of snow, valleys of 
snow, white trees covered with white blos- 
soms, white flowers, with blood-red hearts, 
and, over all, a sky of perfect blue. Bianca 
screamed with delight; and all the dolls 
laughed merrily, as the huge doors closed 
swiftly and silently behind the flying Launcher. 
Then, indeed, Bianca saw how grateful were 
the warm clothes, and she was glad to put 
her hands in her little woollen mittens. 

When she raised her eyes, she was sur- 
prised to think that she had not noticed all of 
the glittering glass houses scattered here and 
there, and she could just distinguish little 
people moving about. 

“ What are those dear tiny little things in 
glass houses?” she demanded excitedly. 

“ Wait a bit, and we will show you,” re- 
plied Kate. 


go FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Please tell me now ; I cannot wait, I want 
to know so badly,” begged Bianca. 

It was useless; none of the dolls would 
satisfy her, and she had to wait until the 
Launcher landed at a charming building, 
apparently a depot, all of colored glass, with 
flags waving gayly from a dozen high points 
of crystal. 

The dolls left the boat, taking Bianca with 
them ; and presently a little doll-man threw 
open a glass door which was situated on one 
side of the depot, and growled most savagely, 
“ Come in, come in, don’t keep a man freez- 
ing all day and all night.” 

“ What do you mean by behaving this way 
to my friends?” said Clara, angrily. “ How 
dare you act in this fashion, when we are such 
good customers?” He made a deep bow, 
and began offering excuses. 

“I beg your pardon. I have rheumatism, 
and the cold air affects me keenly. I am 
sure I am very sorry.” • 

“Well, well, let it pass now,” exclaimed 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 9 1 

Lilian. “We are wasting our time instead of 
coasting.” 

“ Of course. To be sure,” agreed the little 
man, rushing with alacrity into an adjoining 
room, where they could see him through 
the glass partition, moving around among a 
number of sleds. Having selected what he 
wanted, he darted back into the room, drag- 
ging five pretty sleds behind him, all of differ- 
ent colors. He no longer thought of his 
rheumatism, and appeared only anxious to 
please the dolls. 

They each chose what they liked best; 
Bianca preferred one of pink and silver, which 
was given to her. 

When they left the building, the little man 
held the door wide open for them, bowing 
and smiling as if he could never show temper 
again. 

As soon as Bianca was fairly out of the 
depot, and in the fresh cold air, she felt per- 
fectly happy, and began to ask about the 
glass houses. 


92 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“Just wait until we slide down this long 
hill. Right at the bottom is a nice house, 
and you can peep through the 
glass and see — well, you have 

\ • 1 A r 

5L to wait, as I said, and you 
will soon know what you 
\ said Kate. 



are real mean/' 
half annoyed. 

.was going to 

\\ 


will 

“ I think you 
replied the child, ^ 

She thought that Kate v 
tell her everything, and \ 
she could scarcely get 
seated on her pink sled, 
she was so nervous. 

The next minute she 
forgot everything else 
in the exhilaration of 
coasting. Down the 
hill they flew, their hair 
waving and hearts beat- 
ing; it was splendid 
fun, and so steep and long. 

Suddenly Bianca struck the snow with the 



“down the hill 

THEY FLEW.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 93 

wrong foot; the sled turned sharply round 
and over it went, sending Bianca rolling down 
the hill. She never stopped until she reached 
the bottom, where she lay senseless. 

Lilian was the first to reach her, and was 
terrified when she found the white snow 
stained with blood beneath Bianca’s head. 
She exclaimed in alarm, “ What shall we do? 
I think that she is dead.” 

“Nonsense,” said a squeaky voice; and 
they discovered in their midst a paper man- 
doll, who could hardly stand upright, the 
wind blew so sharply. “ I am a doctor, stand 
aside,” he said. ' They at once obeyed, while 
he examined Bianca’s head, and felt her pulse, 
listened to her heart, and then, with a charm- 
ing smile, squeaked out, “ She ’s not badly 
hurt ; I will apply a little ointment to that cut 
over her ear, and she can slide down-hill again 
in half an hour, if she desires to do so.” 

At this they laughed and looked much re- 
lieved ; besides Bianca was opening her eyes, 
and presently asked, “ Where am I ? ” 


94 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ At the foot of the hill,” replied Dr. Seed. 
He was so small and thin that Bianca had not 
noticed him ; and now she gazed at him in be- 
wilderment, then murmured, “You are my 
paper doll.” 

“Your paper doll?” said the dolls, in a 
chorus; “ how can that be? ” As to the doc- 
tor, he blinked his eyes several times and ap- 
peared to be studying Bianca’s face. 

“ What am I thinking of? ” stammered the 
child, her cheeks a deep crimson ; and as she 
tried to sit up too suddenly, she turned very 
white, which so diverted the others that they 
forgot what she had said. 

“ I would support her on my arm, only I 
am too small,” said the doctor; “ and I would 
invite you all into the house, only you are too 
big. Just wait a minute, and I will give her 
something which will restore her.” With this 
he rushed into the glass house which Kate 
had promised to show Bianca, and was back 
almost immediately with a bottle of blue 
liquid and a box of ointment. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 95 

Having poured the liquid into the smallest 
glass Bianca had ever seen, he made her drink 
the contents, and next he applied the oint- 
ment to her wound. Almost at once she 
arose to her feet, feeling perfectly well, and 
said, “Thank you, sir; ” then shyly, “ may I 
look inside your house?” 

“ Certainly, I am only sorry that you cannot 
walk in.” 

“ Never mind, thank you, I can see very 
well,” responded Bianca, delightedly. She 
looked through the glass, and saw all her 
own paper dolls. Some were playing on 
paper pianos, others dancing, and a baby 
was playing on the floor with a kitten, which 
was almost too much pleasure for Bianca to 
keep quiet. “ Let me hold the baby ; just 
the baby and the kitten,” she said to the 
doctor. 

“ Well, well, if you are so anxious, I guess 
she will not suffer with the cold if she is 
warmly covered.” Saying this the doctor 


9 6 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

went into the house, and entered the room 
where the baby sat. He spoke a few words 
to the mother; she looked up and shook her 
head, but appeared to change her mind, for 
she presently rose and left the room. 


CHAPTER IX. 

HROUGH the red glass of the room 



which she entered, the party of coasters 
could just barely distinguish what she was 
doing. She opened a paper bureau-drawer, 
and took out a long baby coat and white 
paper cap. The baby was soon clad in these, 
and brought out to Bianca, who was so happy 
that she could not speak ; she simply put out 
her arms and held the baby close to her 
breast, — so close that she could feel its heart 
beating against her own. 

The dolls wanted to hold the baby, too ; 
but the doctor thought best not to pass it 
round too much, and soon said : — 

“ Now, little lady, I am afraid the baby may 
take cold ; so let me have her, and you may 
take the kitten.” 


7 


98 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“ Must I give her up? I wish that I could 
keep her just a wee little longer,” coaxed 
Bianca. 

“ Well, well, if you enjoy holding her so 
very much, I suppose a few minutes more will 



not make much difference,” replied the doc- 
tor, glancing nervously at his wife, who sud- 
denly appeared, with an angry frown, in the 
open door. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 99 

“Bring that baby into the house,” she 
commanded, sharply. “You know that this 
high wind might tear her dress ; not to men- 
tion the croup, which she will probably have.” 

“Yes, yes, my dear, you are quite right,” 
replied the doctor, hastily seizing the baby, 
who began to cry loudly, in a high, squeaky 
little voice, which at once brought the mother 
flying out of the house. To Bianca’s amaze- 
ment, the paper lady flew at the ^doctor and 
boxed his ears soundly ; then she grabbed the 
baby, whom he had almost dropped in his 
fright. The next moment it was all over, and 
the baby, mother, and doctor were in the 
house, and the blinds drawn down. 

“Why did they act in that way?” gasped 
Bianca. 

“ It is her terrible temper,” replied May. “ I 
have often seen that woman box the doctor’s 
ears ; but I never spoke to any of them before.’’ 

“ I am glad, for one, that I am not small 
enough to be invited into their house,” de- 
clared Kate. 


IOO FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“ I am sorry, though, that I could not get 
in,” said Bianca, with a sigh. 

“ Well, you are a strange doll. I would like 
to know your reason for that remark,” said 
Lilian. 

“ I do not think that I am at all strange,” 
Bianca objected. “ I just wanted to see them 
cook and eat, and hear them talk, and every- 
thing.” 

“What difference does that make? They 
do those things exactly as we do, only they 
are much smaller than we are,” laughed May. 
“ And as to talking, I should think that you 
had heard enough from the paper lady for one 
day.” 

“ Do come away,” cried Kate. “ There is no 
use in staying here any longer; for they will 
keep those shades down until we are out of 
sight.” 

“ Suppose we slide some more,” suggested 
May. 

“ Yes, yes,” exclaimed the others; so they 
trudged up the hill, and down they came, one 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 01 

after the other, in high glee, and with no acci- 
dent this time. They kept on with this sport 
until the stars came out ; then, with a last look 
at the glass house, where they could see lights 
behind the shades, they marched up the hill 
for home. 

“ Dear me, I never held the kitten,” la- 
mented Bianca as they were trotting along. 

“ Has that occurred to you just now for 
the first time?” teased Lilian. “You have 
no intention of returning for the purpose, 
I hope? ” 

“ No, only I am sorry that I did not take it 
in my arms, it looked so soft and nice.” 

“ It appeared more frightened, to me, than 
anything else,” remarked Clara. “ At least, it 
did when it was running into the house, for the 
paper lady nearly shut its tail in the door.” 

“ I wonder if the baby is still crying,” said 
Bianca, anxiously. 

“ Oh, do stop thinking about those tiresome 
people ! ” replied Lilian. “ The baby prob- 
ably went to sleep long ago ; and if we do not 


102 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


make haste, we shall miss the Launcher, and 
be obliged to remain here all night.” 

Bianca required no second bidding, for she 
had not even imagined so dire a possibility. 
They were soon near the glass depot, which 
was glittering with many lights. 

They could see the little old man seated on 
a high chair smoking a pipe as long as his arm. 
Bianca was a trifle afraid of him at first, but 
she found him perfectly good-natured this 
time, and he took their sleds with a most 
agreeable smile ; he even asked if they cared 
to warm themselves, but this they declined, 
as they had only sufficient time to reach the 
platform comfortably. 

As they gazed back at the depot, it seemed 
like a beautiful red coal, with the light shining 
richly out on the snow. 

They had only a few seconds to wait before 
the Launcher came flying through the air, 
and landed in front of them. Evidently they 
were to be the only passengers, for the con- 
ductor at once shouted : — 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 103 

“ All aboard, hurry up there ! ” which they 
did. 

“ Ding, dong,” tolled the bell, “ flip, flap,” 
went the wings, and at once they were in the 
air, and away. 

Swiftly they left behind them the red glass 
depot, the glistening snow, the bright dots 
of houses sparkling and gleaming like colored 
diamonds, the white, feathery trees, and the 
red-hearted flowers ; finally they reached 
the open gates, and took their last look at 
the sweet, blue sky, and silver stars. 

The gates closed, and once more the 
Launcher was in summer-land. It was now 
night, but the sky was a delicate pink, which 
spread a faint glow over everything. 

Bianca had little time to notice this ; for she 
was hurried into the staterooms, where she 
had to remove her winter wraps. They were 
scarcely off when the boat’s large wings quietly 
folded, and it landed without a jar in the 
station. 

“ I am very tired,” yawned Bianca, as 


104 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

they were driving home again in the little 
carriage. 

“ I think we are all tired,” said May. 

“ How long will it be before we get home? ” 
Bianca inquired. 

“Ten minutes,” replied Lilian. “We will 
leave May and Kate at their house, and hurry 
as quickly as we can.” 

“ I wish that we were home now,” sighed 
Bianca. She must soon have fallen asleep, 
for the next thing she heard was, “ Good- 
night,” and the carriage started again, having 
left Kate and May at their gate. 

“ I never said ‘ good-night ’ to them,” Bianca 
complained. 

“That does not matter,” replied Lilian; 
“ you will see them again, probably.” 

“ I suppose so,” said Bianca. She looked 
around, and found that all of the houses were 
well illuminated with tiny electric lights. She 
could see through the fine lace curtains, and 
the inmates were all engaged in talking, 
dancing, and eating. She would have liked 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 105 

going through every room, seen and unseen, 
but she was tired and anxious to get home. 
She was really glad, though, when they 
stopped for Sambo and Petite. 

The baby was in a delightful frame of mind, 
all dimples and smiles ; but Sambo seemed 
slightly cross at first, saying, “ Yo’ ’s berry 
late ; ’pears like yo’ hab mos’ no time ter git 
upstais.” 

“ Oh, yes,’ there is plenty of time,” replied 
Clara, looking at her watch. 

“ I ’se mighty glad,” muttered Sambo, and 
he immediately began to laugh and play with 
Petite, who was delighted, and showed it by 
pulling his woolly hair. This did not last a 
great while, as they were soon going up the 
winding stairs, and presently found themselves 
once more in the nursery. 

Bianca quickly said “ good-night,” and ran 
into her bedroom. 


CHAPTER X. 


HE next day Bianca told her mother all 



that had happened, — about the cross 
little man, the squeaking doctor, the cut in ner 
head, and everything ; the cut, however, was 
entirely cured, and did not show at all. 

Mrs. Caldeau listened to all the child said, 
and smiled when she declared that it was true 
and not a dream. “ My dear little girl, you 
think it was not a dream ; but it cannot be 
anything else. Who ever heard of dolls 
being alive? ” 

“ Mamma, really and truly, it happened 
just as I told you.” 

“Dear girlie, go on dreaming if it gives 
you any pleasure. In the meanwhile, hem 
this little towel, which will teach you patience 
as well as sewing.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. IO7 

Bianca turned a pathetic face towards her 
mother, and said sadly, “ How can I prove to 
you that the dolls take me with them every 
night?” 

“ You cannot prove it, dear ; but just to con- 
vince my little daughter that she is quite mis- 
taken, I will sit up to-night until three 
o’clock, or even all night; and then you will 
think no more about the matter.” 

“Oh, will you? I am so glad,” cried 
Bianca, clapping her hands ; “ but don’t make 
a noise, for the dollies might hear you.” 

“ No, I shall keep very quiet, and just peep 
at them through the door.” 

That very night Mrs. Caldeau kept her 
promise and sat in a rocking-chair all night, 
and in the morning Bianca rubbed her 
sleepy eyes and looked around. She at 
once saw her mother gazing at her with a 
tender smile. 

“ Did you see them? ” the child eagerly de- 
manded. 

“ No, dear. Did you have a dream again? ” 


108 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Instead of answering her, Bianca burst out 
crying, and her mother ran across the room, 
and clasped her to her bosom saying, “ Dear 
heart, do not cry ; you will have the pretty 
dreams another time. Mamma knew that 
you never really saw the dollies in their little 
homes.” 

“ That is just it,” sobbed Bianca ; “ I did 
want it to be true ; and now it is all over, and 
I shall never have any more fun.” 

“ Hush, hush, darling, do not fret. I will 
tell you a nice story about your Aunt Dot 
when she was a little girl. By the time the 
story is finished, you will be dressed for 
breakfast.” 

Bianca could not resist this lovely plan, so 
she dried her eyes, kissed her mother, hopped 
out of bed, and began drawing on her stock- 
ings, while Mrs. Caldeau began, “ Once upon 
a time.” 

“ I thought it was a true story,” interrupted 
Bianca. 


“ So it is, dear. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. IO9 

“ Then please do not begin, ‘ Once upon a 
time that sounds like a make-believe story.” 

“Very well,” laughed Mrs. Caldeau, “when 
your Aunt Dot was about four years old, she 
went out on a lovely big farm to pay her 
Auntie Flora a visit.” 

“ I wish I could go to my auntie’s farm 
again.” 

“You shall some day. Your Aunt Dot 
was very happy watching the pigs, the cows, 
the horses, and sheep ; but the chickens de- 
lighted her more than all the rest put to- 
gether. 4 Why does her make such a fuss 
when her has an egg?’ she would ask her 
Aunt Flora every time the white hen cackled, 
and hopped off her nest. ‘ She is so proud 
of what she has done that she wants all of 
her friends to appreciate her,’ replied Aunt 
Flora.” 

“Was Aunt Flora my aunt too?” inquired 
Bianca. 

“ Yes, indeed, your great aunt ; but she died 
years ago.” 


IIO FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“ I wish she had n’t died ; then I could go 
to her farm, too,” sighed Bianca. 

“ Well, it is a pity, for Dot certainly was 
contented from morning till night,” con- 
tinued Mrs. Caldeau. “ One day Aunt Flora 
missed Dot. She could not find her any- 
where. She called from the back 
% door; she looked upstairs and 
down cellar, but no Dot was in 
sight. She at last became really 
nervous about the fat little dar- 
ling, fearing that her chubby 



\.q legs might 
ft— " have carried 


*n. .15 herintodan- 

bianca’s aunt dot and the chickens. ger. ‘ Dot, 
Dot, where are you?’ cried Aunt Flora 
from the front porch. 

“ ‘ Dot-tie, Dot-tie ! Where on earth can 
the child be? ’ screamed Nora, the cook, rush- 
ing out into the back-yard. 

“ ‘ Dot, O Dot ! ’ shouted Ned, the man 
who had been busy pumping water from the 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. Ill 

cistern, stopping to join in the search, for 
they all loved Dot. 

“ ‘ Oh, dear ! Here I is,’ piped a little voice 
from the hen-yard. 

“ ‘ Why did n’t you answer, you little pigeon, 
you?’ scolded Nora, who was really so de- 
lighted to find her safe that she scarcely knew 
what to do. 

“ ‘ Sure, it’s a shame,’ chimed in Ned. 

“ By this time Aunt Flora had joined them, 
and they formed quite a procession, which 
Aunt Flora broke up by entering the hen- 
yard, where she found Dot stooping near the 
ground. 

“ * What are you doing, dear? And why did 
you not answer us?’ 

“ ‘ Sh ! You will frighten all my baby chick- 
ens,’ said Dot, frowning. 

“ ‘ Baby chickens? What do you mean? ’ 

“ ‘ I ’se warming baby chickens like the mud- 
der does, and her neber makes a noise when 
they is asleep,’ replied Dot, reproachfully. 

“ ‘ Get up from that ground this minute,’ 
said Aunt Flora, severely. 


I 12 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“ Dot obeyed, half-frightened, for she seldom 
heard that tone addressed to her. When she 
arose, Nora threw her apron over her head, 
and Ned slapped his leg, and they both 
shouted with laughter. ‘ Ha, ha, ha ! ’ 

“ For there on the ground lay ten little dead 
fluffy chickens. Dot had been sitting on them. 
The poor child gazed at them with dismay, 
and then great tears filled her eyes, as she 
rapidly gathered the chicks into her dress, 
which she held up for the purpose. 

“ ‘ Never mind, dear ; leave them alone, they 
are dead, and Ned can bury them,’ said Aunt 
Flora, patting the sorrowfully drooping little 
head. 

“ ‘ No, no,’ sobbed Dot, ‘ maybe they will be 
alive again. I just warmed them like the 
mudder always does; and they neber died 
when she did that way,’ and she clasped all 
the poor little chicks in her arms, and cried 
bitterly. 

“ ‘ Sure ye need n’t be after crying yer pretty 
eyes out, there ’s plenty more in other eggs/ 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 1 3 

said Ned, cheerfully, as he walked off to the 
pump. 

“ ‘ That’s so, Dot; put the chickens down, 
and I will let you make a little pie for your 
dinner,’ coaxed Nora, who had stopped laugh- 
ing when the child began to cry. 

“ ‘ Yes, dear, come with Auntie,’ said Aunt 
Flora, smoothing back the dishevelled hair 
and kissing the wet, flushed cheek of the 
would-be little foster-mother. 

“ ‘ They will be cold, and the poor mudder 
will be so sad — her is shut in the barn,’ 
sobbed Dot, alternately patting the chicks. 

“ ‘ Did you shut her in the barn ? ’ de- 
manded her aunt. 

“ ‘ Yes. Her was hungry, and there was 
oats in the barn,’ replied Dot, guiltily. She 
knew that she had not done just right. 

“ ‘ Well, we will not say anything more 
about it this time ; but you must never do any 
more naughty things like that.’ 

‘“No, I will be good,’ answered Dot, glad 
to get off so easily. 


8 


1 14 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ ‘ Then come with me, and let me wash 
your dirty face and hands, and we can have a 
funeral this afternoon.’ 

“This plan suited Dot perfectly; and she 
nearly forgot her grief, and jumped to her 
feet so suddenly that all the chickens fell on 
the ground. Then she was sorry again. Her 
aunt said : — 

“ ‘ Please leave them where they are, dear.’ 

“ ‘ But the mudder hen will see them,’ 
objected Dot, mournfully. 

“ ‘ I will comfort the old hen,’ her aunt prom- 
ised, ‘ if you will think no more about it/ 

“ ‘ How ? ’ 

“ ‘ Just wait until this evening, and you will 
see,’ said Aunt Flora, taking her by the hand, 
and leading her to the kitchen where Nora 
already was making pies.” 

“ How did Aunt Flora comfort the old 
hen ? ” demanded Bianca, who had listened 
with so much interest that she had forgotten 
to button her shoes. 

“ I will tell you on our way to breakfast,” 
replied Mrs. Caldeau. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 1 5 

Later, when Bianca was dressed and trot- 
ting downstairs, she kept her promise and 
continued : “ That evening Dot was clean 

and sweet in a pink mull dress, the funeral 
was over, and she walked out on the front 
porch with Aunt Flora, who said that a sur- 
prise awaited her. What do you think it 
was ? ” 

“ The chickens came to life,” replied 
Bianca. 

“No, indeed; but in a basket (which Dot 
was permitted to untie) were ten other little 
chicks, just as pretty as those which had been 
killed.” 


CHAPTER XI. 


T)Y this time Bianca and her mother 
had reached the dining-room. When 
Bianca had kissed her father, and said the little 
grace which she had been taught: “ For these 
and all thy bounties, Heavenly Father, grant 
us grateful hearts, and thy blessing, for 
Jesus’ sake. Amen ! ” she said to her mother : 

“ Mamma, please tell me just how the old 
hen acted when she saw the little chickens.” 

“ Why, Aunt Flora carried the basket, as it 
was too heavy for Dot, although she had 
struggled with it, and nearly dropped it, be- 
fore she was satisfied to hand it to her aunt.” 

“ She might have killed those chickens 
too,” said Bianca. 

“ Yes, that is very true ; but she fortunately 
gave it up in time, and trotted along beside 
Aunt Flora, peeping from time to time under 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 1 7 

the lid. When they had nearly reached the 
barn, Dot ran ahead and unlatched the door, 
and out flew the hen, with ruffled feathers and 
wild cackling.” 

“ She must have looked funny,” said Bianca. 

“The poor hen was not thinking of her 
appearance just then, after being shut up 
nearly all day without her babies,” replied 
Mrs. Caldeau. “ ‘ Cluck, cluck,’ she said, but 
no babies came, until Aunt Flora placed 
each new little chick on the ground ; and 
what do you think they did ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” replied Bianca, expect- 
antly. 

“ They all ran to the old hen, and she ran 
to them and took them under her wings with 
a coaxing, anxious ‘ Cluck, cluck,’ which 
delighted Dot, who jumped up and down, 
clapping her hands.” 

“ I wish I had known Aunt Dot when she 
was such a tiny little girl,” sighed Bianca. 

“ She has grown to be a woman now, and 
you love her, do you not, dear ? ” 


1 18 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“Oh, yes; only she was so sweet, when 
she was little.” 

“ Daughter, did you see your dollies last 
night ?” inquired Mr. Caldeau, suddenly. 

Bianca hung her head, and the tears began 
to gather in her eyes, as she murmured, 
“ No, sir.” 

“ She will dream of them another time,” 
said her mother quickly, as she saw Bianca 
could scarcely keep from crying. “ Listen, 
dear, and I will tell you another true story; 
but you need not think every time you begin 
to shed tears, that I will entertain you in this 
fashion. You must be a brave girl and not a 
cry-baby.” 

Bianca laughed, and said she would try not 
to feel badly any more. Mrs. Caldeau smiled 
at Bianca’s father, and while she poured the 
coffee, she began her story. 

“ When I was a little girl, my three sis- 
ters and I each received from our father a 
beautiful parasol, and we started out for 
a walk. We lived in a village where pigs 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 119 

and cows walked around to their hearts’ 
content.” 

“ Did they grunt ? ” inquired Bianca, as 
she put syrup on her cakes. 

“ I should think they did. We had been 
laughing, and talking, and holding our para- 
sols in all imaginable positions ; half the time 
the sun was shining on the tops of our heads, 
but we did not mind.” 

“ I would mind,” said Bianca, positively. 

“ Maybe so, but we were thinking more of 
our fun than of the sun. Suddenly four big, fat 
pigs came grunting and running right towards 
us, just as we were walking down a narrow 
path. I shut my parasol and gave the first 
pig a poke. ‘ Crack ! ’ went the parasol, 
and it was broken. This did not prevent my 
three sisters from following suit; each one 
poked a pig, and ‘ crack ’ went every para- 
sol. Then we began to feel frightened at 
what we had done.” 

“ Did your mother whip you ? ” inquired 
Bianca. 


120 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“ I am not ready for that part of it yet. 
Well, we hurried home, until we reached the 
gate ; then our steps grew slower and slower, 
until we entered the sewing-room where 
mother sat. We stood in a row, and showed 
her our parasols.” Even Mr. Caldeau 
laughed to think of four naughty little girls 
in a row, waiting to be punished. 

Bianca said anxiously, “ Did she whip 
you ? ” 

“ She certainly did. Off came her slipper, 
and each little girl was laid across her knee, 
and received a good and richly-deserved 
spanking, as soon as they told how the para- 
sols had been broken.” 

“ I don’t think they should have been 
punished,” declared Bianca. 

“ I do,” replied her mother. “ If only one 
child had broken a parasol, it would have 
been different, and not really very naughty; 
but the other three saw the consequences, 
and knew better than to poke the pigs after 
that.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 12 


By this time Bianca had eaten a good 
breakfast, and the rest of the day she spent 
with her friend Bessie, who never grew tired 
of hearing about the dolls. She felt just as 
disappointed as Bianca did, concerning its 
being all a dream ; and when they parted for 
the night, Bianca went to bed feeling really 
homesick for her dolls. 

You can imagine her delight, therefore, 
when she felt the same old pricking or burn- 
ing on her hand, and awoke to see Starlight 
standing on the bed. 

“ Oh ! there you are ! And is it all true ? ” 
exclaimed Bianca, sitting up excitedly. 

Fairy Starlight placed a finger on her lips 
and said, “ Hush ! You are speaking too 
loud.” 

“ I have so many things to ask you,” whis- 
pered Bianca. 

“ Go on, and ask them, dear, only do not 
shout.” 

“ Let me think,” hesitated the child. “ Oh, 
yes, now I remember what I wanted to say. 


122 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


Why did n’t you come last night so that 
my dear mamma would see you ? And why 
did n’t the dollies walk ? And why do you 
not let my friend Bessie come too ? And 
why did the little old man get so cross ? 
And why — ” 

“ There, there, that will do ; give me time 
to answer,” interrupted the fairy. “ Last 
night your mother was here, and I did not 
want her to see me, for she would be afraid 
to let you go to all of these places, since she 
does not know what good care I take of you. 
The dollies did not walk because I did not 
touch them with my wand.” 

“ Do you always touch them with your 
wand, to bring them to life ? ” 

“Yes, I touch your dolls and Bessie’s, but 
my other fairies bring other dolls to life.” 

“Are there many fairies ?” 

“Yes,” replied Fairy Starlight, “ perhaps I 
may let you see them some day.” 

“ Oh ! do let me see them now ! ” implored 
the child. 


0 


\ 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 23 


“ If you prefer; but your dollies are going 
in bathing this evening, and I thought you 
would enjoy that also.” 

“ Oh, dear ! I can hardly choose. Could 
I not do both ? ” 


“ No, indeed ! It will take all 
night to reach the stars and 
come back. Besides, I have not 
answered your question about 
Bessie, and that I will not an- 
swer ; instead I have a surprise 
for you.” 

‘‘When will I know the sur- 
prise ? ” asked Bianca. 

“ When you reach Doll-Land,” 
replied the fairy, and with that 
she flew to the window and 
disappeared. 

Bianca disappeared pretty 
soon herself ; that is, she joined 
the dolls and kissed them all around, even 
Sambo, she was so charmed to find them all 
alive once more. 



BIANCA CARRIES 
PETITE. 


I 


124 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Sambo grinned from ear to ear, and the 
dolls were astonished to see Bianca behave 
in such an extraordinary fashion. They made 
no remarks, except to say it was high time 
they got away, if they expected to have any 
fun. 

“ Let me carry Petite,” begged Bianca. 

“ All right, if she will go with you,” said 
Lilian. 

Petite seemed willing, Bianca took the baby 
in her arms, and followed the others through 
the fireplace. 

“ Berry well, yo’ lubs Sambo no mo’,” said 
the colored doll, rolling his black eyes at 
Petite. Petite did n’t care ; she just laughed 
and cooed, and clung to Bianca, who hugged 
and kissed her. 

“ Ba-ba ! — goo-goo ! — da-da ! ” shouted 
Petite ; and making a sudden dive at Bianca’s 
cheek as if to kiss her, the midget bit her 
with her four sharp little teeth. 

Bianca screamed, jumped, and nearly fell 
down stairs, which frightened all the dolls, 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 25 

and angered Lilian, who grabbed Petite, say- 
ing, “That’s the last time you will carry my 
baby anywhere.” 

Bianca felt sorry indeed to think that she 
had provoked Lilian, but when she told her 
why she had jumped, Lilian was somewhat 
better natured. 

“ Sambo, take Petite. She is a very naughty 
baby,” said Lilian. 

“Yo’ betta stay wid yo’ Sambo, an’ keep 
out ob trouble, honey,” he muttered, as he 
took her in his arms. 

Petite did not seem at all dismayed. On 
the contrary, she kicked and cooed as sweetly 
as any dove. Not that a dove kicks, but it 
certainly cooes. 

They were half way down stairs, when 
Bianca said aloud, “ She never told me why 
the little old man was so cross.” 

“ Who never told you ? ” inquired the dolls. 

“Never mind, I made a mistake,” replied 
Bianca, greatly embarrassed. She hardly 
knew what to say. She had nearly told them 


126 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

that she saw Fairy Starlight, and that might 
lead to other questions about her not being a 
doll, for all she knew. 

“ I think you must have made a mistake,” 
said Clara, “ for I don’t see how any doll could 
tell you what made the little old man so cross. 
I am sure we could not.” 

“ Of course not. Oh ! I have no bathing 
suit.” No sooner had Bianca said this, to 
change the subject, than she was more fright- 
ened than ever, for surely the dolls knew that 
they had not mentioned bathing; only Fairy 
Starlight had told her that they were going to 
bathe. Fortunately, they did not remember 
not having said anything of their plans for the 
evening, so they simply said, “ You do not 
need to bring one, there are plenty to choose 
from.” 

Bianca decided not to say another word for 
the present. She did not keep silent long, 
for Clara opened another little door, and there 
they could see only a large, round lake, sur- 
rounded by glistening white sand, with here 
and there pretty little bath-houses. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 27 

The yellow sky touched the sand all around 
the edge, and when Bianca looked behind her 
there was no door visible, only yellow sky 
where the door had been. All over the sand, 
and in the lake, were strange dolls in bathing 
dresses. 


CHAPTER XII. 


“ T TOW are we to get home?” demanded 

* * Bianca. 

“ The way we came. How did you sup- 
pose ? 0 replied Lilian. 

“ But the door has gone.” 

“ No, it has not, you silly child ; only none 
of the doors show from this side. Why, how 
do you suppose all the dolls get home, if not 
through doors? ” Lilian laughed gayly. 

Bianca felt happier again, and just then she 
spied Bessie, and Bessie spied Bianca, and they 
ran into each other’s arms, with a cry of de- 
light, while all the dolls stood spellbound, 
gazing at them. Kate and May came over 
also, and Bianca only had a chance to whisper 
in Bessie’s ear, “ Did Fairy Starlight touch 
you with her wand? ” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 29 

“Yes. Isn’t she beautiful? I am so 
happy.” 

“What are you two talking about?” de- 
manded Kate. 

“ Nothing very particular,” they replied. 

“ Do stop chatting, and come along,” Lilian 
cried. “We have to arrange about our bath- 
ing suits, you know.” 

“ That ’s a fact,” said May. 

So they started after Clara and Kate, who 
led the way, while Bessie and Bianca fell a 
little behind the rest. 

“ How small you are ! Is n’t this fun ? ” 
whispered Bessie, gleefully. 

“Yes. I am so glad you are here at last. 
I wanted you so much,” replied Bianca. 
“Were you surprised when you saw the 
fairy? ” 

“I should think I was; but I knew her 
right off by the stars, and I was so happy 
when she said I was coming to Doll- 
Land.” 

“ How did you get here?” inquired Bianca. 


9 


130 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Through my nursery fireplace, just as 
you told me,” Bessie replied. 

“Were you frightened?” giggled Bianca. 

“Yes, a little, just at first, but not after- 
ward. I was so excited when I took Kate by 
the hand, and went down the stairs.” 

“ Come, come ! ” called Lilian. “ Here are 
your bathing suits.” Lilian held out several 
suits, and they each took one ; then they went 
into different bath-houses, and were soon pat- 
tering down to the lake, as happy as robins in 
a cherry-tree. 

“ I don’t know how to swim,” said Bessie. 

“Neither do I,” said Bianca. 

“ That makes no difference,” replied Kate. 
“You will soon learn. We will teach you.” 

The children were anxious to learn at once, 
but Petite began to cry, and then all ran to her, 
although she appeared safe enough in Sambo’s 
arms. 

“Yo’ need n’t all run lik’ yo”s doing; de 
baby just ’pears ter want ter go bathing; 
dat’s all she trubblin’ ’bout,” said Sambo. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 3 I 

“ Petite, hush ! ” scolded Lilian, “ or mamma 
will slap your hands.” 

“ No, you won’t slap my dolly’s hands ! ” 
exclaimed Bianca, indignantly. 

“Your dolly’s hands?” answered Lilian, 
angrily ; and before Bianca had a chance to 
reply, Lilian had slapped her, — not Petite, 
but Bianca herself. 

“ You horrid little thing. I ’ll give you 
away,” sobbed Bianca. 

“ Give me away? Did ever I hear anything 
so silly?” sneered Lilian. 

“ I guess you belong to me, and I can do as 
I want to,” shouted Bianca, in quite a rage 
by this time. 

Fortunately Bessie whispered quickly in her 
ear : “ Remember ; oh ! please remember that 
you will never see the dolls again if you tell 
them who you are.” 

This calmed Bianca at once, who realized 
that it was true, and also that it did not 
matter, after all, about the slap, as Lilian was 
only a doll, while she was quite a big girl 


132 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

out of Doll-Land ; so she felt better natured, 
and said sweetly : — 

“ Don’t be angry, Lilian ; I should not have 
spoken, and interfered as I did. Please ex- 
cuse me.” 

“You sweet little thing. I was ever so dis- 
agreeable myself, and I am so sorry that I 
slapped you,” replied Lilian, throwing both 
arms around the child’s neck and giving her 
a kiss. 

Meanwhile Petite had struggled out of 
Sambo’s arms, and was seated in the sand 
playing with a crab, which seemed willing 
to amuse the baby, for it poked its eyes out 
and in, which brought shrieks of delight 
from Petite, who kept trying to catch hold of 
the eyes, but the crab was always too quick 
for her. 

“ Won’t the crab pinch the baby? ” inquired 
Bianca, anxiously. 

“ No, she always plays with them,” replied 
Clara. 

They left Sambo, Petite, and the crab to 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 33 

amuse one another, and ran down into the 
lake. 

Kate and Lilian took Bianca and tried to 
teach her to swim, while Clara and May did 
the same for Bessie, but they found it no easy 
task. 

“ Hold me up ! Hold me up ! ” Bianca 
shouted every minute. The dolls would strug- 
gle to keep her head above water, while Bianca 
splashed about like a duck. As for Bessie, 
she was about as bad, but she soon learned 
to float on her back, with both little hands 
outstretched. 

“What is that?” said Bianca, suddenly, 
pointing to a big black head sticking out of 
the water. 

“ It ’s a snake ! Run, run ! ” screamed Bes- 
sie, forgetting how hard it was to run when 
up to your waist in water. 

“ It is not a snake, it is only Frida,” said 
Kate. “ She is a good turtle and that is her 
long neck which you see; she will take you 
riding all around the lake if you care to try. ” 


134 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

The children looked at Frida’s broad back, 
which was certainly large enough to hold 
both of them, and Frida seemed anxiously 
waiting for them to decide. 

“Are you certain that there is not the 
slightest danger of our being drowned?” 
inquired Bessie, anxiously. 

“ I am positive,” Clara replied. “ Why, 
how often do you imagine that we have 
ridden on Frida’s back? Dozens and dozens 
of times, I am sure ; you can ask Lilian.” 

The children glanced at Lilian, who nodded 
her head in acquiescence. 

“ Suppose we take just a little ride,” said 
Bessie. 

“All right,”, agreed Bianca, and it did 
not take them long to climb on the turtle’s 
back. 

“You need not think that you are only 
going to take a short ride,” laughed May. 
“ Frida never stops until she has gone around 
the entire lake.” 

“ Let us get off, then,” faltered Bianca. 


'FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 35 

“Nonsense,” Bessie protested. “We are 
perfectly safe ; you can put your arms around 
my waist, and if I feel like taking hold of 
something, I can easily reach Frida’s neck.” 

Thus reassured, Bianca gained courage, and 
Frida started, at first slowly, but presently 
much faster, until they soon found themselves 
fairly whirling around the lake. 



They were not alarmed, after all, for the 
motion, though swift, was so easy they found 
no difficulty in retaining a comfortable posi- 
tion, and they were really sorry when they 
were again among the dolls. 

“How did you like your ride?” they in- 


136 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS.' 

quired as the children slipped off into the 
water. 

“It was lovely,” they declared. “Why 
don’t you go now? ” 

“We intend to,” the dolls replied, and two 
of them climbed on Frida’s back, who started 
off with a right good will. 

The other dolls ran up on the sand to play 
with Petite, and wait their turn to ride. 

“ Did you ever think that any one could 
have as much fun as we have with our dolls? ” 
whispered Bessie, when the others were out 
of hearing. 

“No., indeed!” agreed Bianca. “But tell 
me, Bessie, did Fairy Starlight give you any 
special directions when you saw her?” 

“ Let me think. Oh, yes, so she did ! She 
said that if you or I allowed even one of our 
dolls to know that we are children, that then 
they would turn to plain, ordinary dolls, and 
never walk or talk again.” 

“ How dreadful that would be ! ” sighed 
Bianca. “ However, I do not think that there 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 37 

is the slightest danger of either of us forget- 
ting ; do you ? ” 

“ No, indeed ! Sh ! here they are.” 

“ Yes, here we are,” shouted Kate and 
Lilian, who had evidently caught Bianca’s last 
words. “We have had a splendid time.” 

Just then the other two dolls hurried out to 
them, and, after they had taken their ride, 
they all thanked Frida and she swam away, 
having understood what they said, although 
unable to talk herself. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


“ 1\/T AMMA,” gurgled Petite, holding out 

•L* ^ one hand to Lilian, while the other 
grasped a crab, which was struggling to 
escape. 

“Yo’ betta leab dat crab ’lone, honey,” 
coaxed Sambo. 

The children and the dolls had changed 
to their dry clothing, and were now watching 
Sambo and Petite. 

When Sambo spoke, Petite looked first at 
him, and then at her mother, who shook her 
head playfully. This seemed to decide the 
baby at once, for she allowed the crab to go. 
It gave a jump and caught a beach fly, and 
carried it quickly down a hole. 

“Where has the crab gone?” asked Bi- 
anca, who had been watching everything with 
amusement. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 39 

“To its home. Did you see it draw in its 
eyes and tuck in its feet? ” said May. 

“Yes,” replied Bianca. “What is its big 
claw for? ” 

“For one thing, it frightens other crabs 
with the big claw,” responded Clara. “ It can 
strike hard with it, and pinch hard too, for 
that matter ; but the crabs never hurt Petite ; 
they seem to know and love her.” 

“ Here it comes again,” May exclaimed. 
“Can you see its legs? There are eight of 
them and two hands.” 

“Yes,” replied Bianca. “ But what does it 
do with its little claw? ” 

“ Why, it only eats with that ; but it can 
do ever so many other things with its big 
claw, — dig its hole, carry things, and I don’t 
know, — ever so much more.” 

“ Come, let us go to dinner,” interrupted 
Clara. 

“ I do not see any place for dinner, do 
you?” murmured Bianca to Bessie. 

“ We are going to have some, all the same,” 


140 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

laughed Lilian, as she and Clara led the way, 
right up to the yellow sky. Then Clara sang 
a little tune, the words of which ran thus : 

“ We are hungry ; let us in. 

If you don’t it is a sin. 

We are waiting here outside 
For the little door to slide. 

Hold it steady, 

We are ready. 

Let us in' Let us in ! ” 

No sooner had she finished, than a door 
opened, disclosing a long black tunnel and a 
train of cars. 

By this time a number of strange dolls 
hurried up, and the doll conductors jumped 
down and helped them all into the cars. The 
yellow door closed, and the train started, so 
suddenly that Bessie and Bianca caught hold 
of each other’s hands with a gasp ; the next 
minute they were enjoying the quick motion, 
and admiring all the brilliant electric lights 
which studded the top and the sides of the 
car. They thought that the pale-blue velvet 
which covered the seats was very beautiful. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 141 

They went spinning along at great speed 
for some time before the train stopped, and 
the conductor shouted : — 

“ Thoughtland.” 

The children looked out of their window, 
but at first they could distinguish nothing 
but the dark sides of the tunnel. Bessie sud 
denly discovered a faint glimmer of yellow, 
and exclaimed : — 

“ Look, Bianca, that light must come 
through a hole.” 

‘‘Where? I don’t see any light,” said 
Bianca; but quickly added, “Yes, now I do; 
but how queer ! There seems to be no 
station.” 

“What are you talking about?” said 
Kate. 

“ There is no station,” the children replied. 
“ And the little yellow light, what does that 
mean? ” 

“ Oh, that is simply a pane of glass in 
the door which leads to Thoughtland,” said 
Kate 


142 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

By this time the train had again started on 
its way. 

“Why didn’t we go to Thoughtland ? ” 
demanded Bianca. “ I have never been there, 
nor Bessie either.” 

“ I do not think that it occurred to any 
one,” replied Kate. 

“ It would take too long,” said Clara. 
“ We can go there another time. I am think- 
ing more of a good dinner than anything else 
just now, and here we are at the end of our 
journey.” 

Now came the bustle of leaving the train, 
and on passing through a door, like the 
Thoughtland door, they came into the bright 
light of day again. 

“ I am dreadfully hungry,” exclaimed Clara. 

“ And I am too,” said the others. 

They were therefore delighted when pres- 
ently they entered a charming green park, 
dotted here and there with tiny lakes, where 
many white and pink swans arched their 
pretty necks, and swam about with graceful 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 43 


ease, while, from place to place, doll waiters 
darted to different tables, which were nearly 
concealed in cozy nooks of shrubbery, and 
shaded by the spreading branches of low 



trees covered with rich blossoms of many 
delicate colors. 

“Are we going to have dinner here?” in- 
quired the children, in happy tones. 

“Yes; they serve delicious things,” Clara 
replied. 


144 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

“ Sambo, you may take the baby over to 
that hammock while we are dining,” said 
Lilian, pointing in the direction he was to 
go. 

“ Berry well, de baby ’s sho’ ter sleep if it 
once gits in dat dar contribance,” muttered 
Sambo, who was pretty hungry himself. 

“ I am sure I hope so,” said Lilian, sweetly. 

I will soon be ready to take her ; then you 
•can have a nice dinner, Sambo, yourself.” 

This promise raised his spirits, and he 
showed all his teeth in a grateful grin, as he 
departed with Petite, who was vigorously 
waving “ By-by,” over his shoulder. 

“ She is a dear, sweet baby,” said Bianca, 
lovingly. 

“Yes, she is a perfect little darling,” the 
rest declared warmly. 

“What shall you order? ” asked May, when 
a neat doll handed each a menu. 

“ I wish that I could wait on all of you,” 
replied Bianca. 

“ So do I,” chimed in Bessie. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 45 

The dolls looked astonished, and so did 
the waiter, but he said gravely : “I will see 
whether you can, if you want me to.” 

“ Thank you, that will be very kind,” said 
the children. 

He put his hand to his mouth, in order to 
conceal a smile, and hurried away. 

He soon returned with permission ; and two 
very happy little girls followed him to a vine- 
covered pavilion, where little cooks were as 
busy as bees over the preparations for 
dinner. 

“ Can we cook?” inquired Bessie. 

“ No, I am afraid to let you try that,” said 
the doll-chef, or head-cook. 

“ All right, it is almost as much fun to be 
waiter,” said Bessie, as she donned a white 
apron and cap which the chef gave her, 
and Bianca arrayed herself in the same 
fashion. “ Won’t the dolls be surprised when 
they see us?” laughed Bianca, as they took 
their trays, well filled with good things. 

“ I imagine that they will hardly recognize 


10 


146 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

us,” retorted Bessie, as she started forth, 
closely followed by Bianca. Soon^they stood 
beside their dolls. 

“ Ha, ha,” laughed Kate, “ how pretty you 
do look, to be sure.” 

Bessie and Bianca said not a word, as they 
were anxious to appear as much like waiters 
as possible; they were very dignified, and 
served everything in a charming manner. 

“ That gentleman over there wants you to 
wait on him,” said one of the doll-waiters, 
with a deep bow, as he indicated the man 
with a wave of his hand. 

“ Shall we do it? ” inquired Bessie, turning 
to Bianca. 

“ Yes, it will be more fun and we know just 
how.” 

Off they trotted and took his order, and, as 
both wanted the order, they divided it and 
each brought a tray full. 

Everything was going nicely, when Bianca 
stubbed her toe, just as she was passing be- 
hind the doll’s chair. Over went the cup of 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 47 

coffee, right down the poor man’s neck; of 
course it was piping hot, and such a shout of 
pain as he uttered ! Every doll around the 
park ran to the spot, while Bianca never 
stopped to see if he was hurt, she was so 
ashamed. She came to Clara, saying, — 

“ I want to leave this place ; I am so sorry 
I have scalded the man.” 

“ But you have not had your dinner,” Clara 
objected. 

“ I am not hungry, indeed I am not,” said 
the child, in great distress. 

By this time Bessie came hurrying up to 
them calling out, “ He is all right; a doctor 
put some medicine down his neck; and it 
does n’t hurt him now.” 

“ I am glad of that ; but I will not wait on 
him any more,” replied Bianca, slipping off 
her cap and apron. 

“ Nor will I,” said Bessie, removing hers also. 
These they gave to a waiter, and Bianca 
declared herself anxious to start for home; 
but Clara made them sit down and order 


I4B FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

something, which they finally did. They en- 
joyed it hugely, for they ordered exactly the 

things they cared for most, and they were 

> 

brought at once. 

After Sambo had had his dinner, and Petite 
was put to sleep, they boarded the train and 
soon left the lovely park behind them. 

“ I am dreadfully tired,” said Bianca, when 
they reached the lake. 

“ I suppose you are, and it is time to go 
home,” replied Lilian, gazing at Petite, who 
was wide awake and smiling at every one. 

“ I wonder if Fairy Starlight will allow you 
to come again,” whispered Bianca in Bessie’s 
ear. 

“ I do hope she will,” the child replied ; 
and, giving each other a kiss, they parted. 
Bessie went with Kate and May, while Bianca 
joined her own dolls. 

They had quite a time getting Petite to go 
without crying, for she was determined to 
play with the crabs, and they appeared quite 
as anxious to detain her; they jumped 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 49 

around in the liveliest fashion, waving their 
large claws and rushing in and out of their 
houses ; they even caught Sambo by the feet, 
as if they wanted him to put Petite down on 
the sand. Petite held out her little hands, 
but it was of no use ; cry or no cry, it was 
time to go home, and they moved off, while 
the crabs formed a procession, and followed 
them as far as the door. They would even 
have gone up the spiral staircase, but the 
dolls shut them out, much to Bianca’s relief, 
who did not relish the idea of having them in 
her bedroom. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


next morning Bianca told her father 
and mother all that she had done ; but 
it was quite, useless for her to try to convince 
them of its truth. 

Later in the day, Bessie came over to din- 
ner and repeated all that Bianca had told 
them. Mr. and Mrs. Caldeau only thought 
it wonderful that both children should dream 
the same dream on the same night. 

After dinner they adjourned to the library, 
and the children at once begged for true 
stories. 

“ Tell us about when you were a little girl,” 
teased Bianca. 

“ Yes, please do, Mrs. Caldeau,” said Bessie, 
“ tell us of something naughty that you did.” 

“ Let me think,” Mrs. Caldeau began. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 5 I 

“Something naughty that I did? Well, I 
certainly was a very naughty little girl one 
day, when I went to visit a small friend. I 
had on a clean, white dress, and we climbed 
in and out of an old wagon, until suddenly I 
discovered that a large patch of black wagon- 
grease was all over one side of my pretty 
dress. This worried me very much ; and 
when I went home, I hoped that my mamma 
would not see it.” 

“ Did she? ” said Bianca, greatly interested. 

“Yes, she could not possibly avoid seeing 
it, when it was so large. She said, ‘ Florence, 
you have been climbing in some wagon.’ 
*No, mamma,’ I replied.” 

“ Oh, what a story,” interrupted Bianca. 

“ Yes, a dreadful story, but I was only six 
years old. My mamma turned to my little 
friend who was with me and said, ‘ Josie, has 
Florence been in any wagon?’ and poor Josie 
was frightened and replied, ‘ Yes, Mrs. 
Caldeau, she was in our old wagon.’ 

“ ‘ Very well, Josie, you are a good child 


152 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

to tell the truth, and now you may run home 
and Florence must go right to bed.’ ” 

“ That was too bad,” said Bessie. 

“ No, she was quite right,” replied Mrs. 
Caldeau. “ I was naughty, and should have 
been taught how very wicked it was to tell a 
falsehood. I trotted off to bed with a heavy 
heart, and was soon in my little white night- 
dress, although it was only three o’clock in 
the afternoon, and the sun was shining 
brightly through the window. Besides that, 
I could hear the children next door playing 
and having a very merry time.” 

“ Poor little mamma,” sighed Bianca, 
stroking her mother’s hand. 

“ Naughty little mamma, dear, though very 
penitent, for I knew well enough that I 
deserved my punishment. After a long time 
my mamma entered the room and told me 
that I might get up and dress myself if I 
would try to be a good girl.” 

‘‘When did you stop telling stories?” 
Bessie inquired. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 53 

“ When I was about eight years of age, my 
mamma was taken very dangerously ill, and I 
thought she would surely die. I climbed up 
on her bed and told her every naughty thing 
I had ever done ; and I think God must have 
pitied my sorrowful little heart, for mamma 
recovered and I never told another untruth. 
Now it is papa’s turn to tell a true story.” 

“ Oh, yes, papa, tell us about when you 
were a bad boy,” Bianca agreed eagerly. 

“But I was not a bad boy,” said Mr. 
Caldeau. 

“ Oh, papa, you must have done some- 
thing naughty or you would be an angel, you 
know.” 

“ Perhaps you are right, dears,” said papa. 
“ I will try to remember something, while 
your mother tells you another story.” 

“ You did something yourself once, darling, 
that you have no doubt forgotten,” said Mrs. 
Caldeau to Bianca. 

“ Tell us, and I will see,” replied the child. 

“ When you were a wee girl of four years, 


154 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

your cousin Louise, only two years old, came 
with her mother to pay us a visit. You were 
playing in the hall, very quietly, when 
suddenly I heard a rapid pattering of little 
feet, and Louise calling, half in distress, half 
in delight, ‘ Stop, Ban — ka ! Stop, Ban — ka ! ’ 
I rose quickly and looked out into the hall, 
and saw you racing ahead of Louise, while 
she was following you as madly as her legs 
permitted. I thought it strange that the 
child kept up at such a rate.” 

Bessie and Bianca looked at each other 
and smiled expectantly. 

“What do you suppose was the reason?” 
continued Mrs. Caldeau. “ Poor Louise had a 
fine cord tied around her neck, and you held 
the other end. If the child had fallen she 
would probably have been choked to death.” 

“ Did you punish me?” demanded Bianca. 

“No, dear. I explained the danger of 
such playing, and you never tried it again.” 

“Now, Mr. Caldeau,” said Bessie, “ it is 
your turn.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 55 

“ When I was about ten years old,” Mr. 
Caldeau began, “ I thought it would be good 
fun to play on a real fire with my toy fire- 
engine, and looked around for something to 
play it upon. I could think of nothing 
better than the kitchen stove, which was 
temptingly hot. Jennie, the laundress, was 
heating irons, preparing for a big day’s work. 
I pranced into the kitchen with my engine, 
flung open the stove door, and began vigor- 
ously to pump water upon the flaming coals.” 

“ Did they sizzle? ” the children wanted to 
know. 

“ I should think they did sizzle. The stove 
cracked, the fire went out, and Jennie chased 
me furiously out of the kitchen. My legs 
more than flew when I thought of Jennie’s 
strong hand, which would certainly have 
played around my ears if she had caught me. 
However, a switch played around my legs 
instead, when my father saw the long crack 
in the stove, and discovered that I was the 
culprit.” 


156 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ That was a nice story. Now tell us some 
more,” said Bianca, contentedly nestling on 
her father’s knee. 

“ Did I ever tell you of how we thought to 
play a joke on a little 
deformed playfellow, 
when I was at board- 
ing school? ” 

“ No, you never 
did,” Bianca replied. 

“ We all liked the 
boy immensely, he 
was so bright,” said 
Mr. Caldeau. “ One 
day he climbed into a 
light wagon, and told 
us to draghim around. 
Half a dozen of us 
took hold of the 
shafts and took him 
spinning around the 
house where our Professor dwelt. The Pro- 
fessor was quite a stern man at times ; but he 



FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 5 7 

was always a trifle more lenient with this 
deformed lad than with any of the rest of us. 
One of the boys suddenly suggested that we 
leave the wagon before the front door, ring 
the bell, and then run away. We were de- 
lighted with the plan, and lost no time in car- 
rying it out. In less than two minutes we 
were peeping out from behind bushes, and 
the wagon and lad were before the Professor’s 
door. Camp tried to clamber out; but before 
he could reach the ground, the front door 
opened and there, to our great joy, stood the 
Professor. He at once saw our trick, and 
said politely to the poor lad : — 

“ ‘ Won’t you walk in and rest, Camp ? ' just 
as if nothing unusual had happened ; so we 
did not have the fun out of it that we 
expected.” 

“ Did the Professor discover which of you 
did it ? ” Mrs. Caldeau inquired, for she was 
as much interested in the story as the children 
were. 

“ Yes, he found out very soon; for he de- 


158 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

manded a true statement from each boy, and 
we all received a reprimand.” 

“ Please tell us some more,” entreated the 
little girls, the moment Mr. Caldeau ceased. 

“ No, no, I cannot,” he replied. “ It is time 
for Bessie to go home. I heard the door 
bell, and I am sure that James has come for 
her.” This proved to be the case, and Bessie 
was soon bidding them “ good-by.” 

The last thing she said was, “ Bianca, may- 
be I will meet you in Doll-land to-night.” 

“ I hope so,” Bianca replied. 

Mr. and Mrs. Caldeau smiled at each other 
and at the children, as if to say, “ Dear little 
things, how strange it is that they think that 
their dreams are realities.” 


CHAPTER XV. 


' I S HE moment that Bianca saw Fairy Star- 
light that night, she whispered : — 

“ Where am I going with the dolls this 
time ? ” 

“ You are going to my star, — a place where 
they have never been; and it is time we 
started.” 

“ Are we ? Oh, I am so happy ! ” said 
Bianca, clapping her hands ever so lightly. 
“ But how can you take me way up in the 
sky?” 

“ Have you not discovered that I can do 
almost anything I want to ? ” the fairy re- 
plied. “Just wait a bit, and you will take a 
wonderful ride.” With these words Fairy 
Starlight touched Bianca’s feet, hands, and 
head ; then she was told to look in the glass. 


l60 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Bianca started to get out of bed, and dis- 
covered that she was too tiny to reach the 
floor. She hung by the sheet terribly fright- 
ened, which caused the fairy to laugh her 
dear little silvery laugh ; but when the child 
cried : — 

“ Catch me, I am going to fall,” the fairy 
took her by the hand, and placed her gently 
on the floor ; and then Bianca saw how much 
smaller her hand was than Fairy Starlight’s, 
and was partly prepared for the reflection 
which she saw in the glass when she finally 
stood upon the bureau. She had a dreadful 
time getting there, and had to be dragged 
upon a chair, then to the top of the bureau, 
where she saw herself clad in blue. “ How 
shall I ever get down ? ” said the poor child, 
gazing at the floor, which appeared sq far 
away. 

“ Do not worry, little one,” replied the fairy, 
in a very patronizing tone. She felt quite 
large and important, as Bianca was growing 
rapidly smaller, and was now about the size 
of a hornet. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. l6l 

“ What will you do ? ” Bianca demanded in 
a thin, shrill voice, which gave her a shock 
when she heard it. 

“You will know presently,” Fairy Starlight 
replied gayly. 



STARLIGHT AND BIANCA ON FIREFLIES. 


And she did know; for the fairy took 
Bianca in her arms, and quickly flew to the 
window, where she became as small as the 


ii 


1 62 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

child ; then both grew still smaller, and 
passed through a crack, and were out in 
the air. 

“ Why, how strange it is that I do not feel 
cold ! ” said Bianca. 

“ It is not strange, my dear, for the dress 
you now wear keeps out heat and cold,” 
responded the fairy. “ Here are our fire- 
flies,” and two fire-flies settled beside them. 
Fairy Starlight mounted one, Bianca the 
other, and away they flew, higher and higher. 

Bianca held on vigorously at first, she was 
so frightened ; but she soon grew accustomed 
to the delightful ride, and then thought of 
Bessie, and asked, “ Will Bessie be on your 
star ? ” 

“ In my star, you mean,” said Fairy Star- 
light. “ No, she cannot go with us, for she 
was so naughty to-day. Some other time 
possibly I may take her, if you are careful 
not to permit the dolls to discover who either 
of you really are. If such a thing as that 
should happen, you would probably never 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 63 

see me more than once again, and your dolls 
would cease to live, as I have told you sev- 
eral times.” 

“ How very sorry I should feel ! ” said 
Bianca. “ Indeed, you do not know how 
careful I will try to be. Oh, how that light 
dazzles my eyes ! ” she finished suddenly. 

“ I forgot that your eyes were not strong 
enough for the outside of my beautiful star,” 
replied the fairy, touching them with her 
wand. “Now they will be all right; open 
them.” 

Bianca did as she was told, and found that 
she could look directly at the star, which 
glittered like a great diamond with a wonder- 
ful clear, white light. 

As they drew nearer, the child observed 
wide arches and doors of pearl. They en- 
tered one of these, and Bianca then saw green 
fields and green trees. All around were 
sweet white clover-blossoms, dainty blue- 
bells, and young animals everywhere, — kit- 
tens, puppies, colts, and calves. 


1 64 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ How sweet and cunning ! ” exclaimed 
Bianca, bending to take up a white, fluffy 
kitten. 

“ I do not want to be taken up, please,” 
said the kitten, in a soft, purry voice, which 
so astonished Bianca that she raised her 
hands and stared at the kitten, which ran off, 
frolicking with a little Maltese cat in an every- 
day, pussy-cat fashion. 

Fairy Starlight began to laugh when she 
saw the expression of the child’s face. “ My 
dear, you seem astonished. All these little 
animals can talk; and they never do a thing 
unless they want to.” 

“ Where did they all come from ? ” Bianca 
inquired eagerly. 

The fairy’s beautiful face became sad as 
she replied : “ They come from your earth, 
my dear ; and each animal has a history, if it 
cares to relate it.” 

“ I hope they will tell me some of their 
histories,” said Bianca. “ But where are the 
grown up animals : the fathers and mothers? ” 





FAIRY STARLIGHT AND BIANCA ON THE THRONE, 





FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 67 

“ These were grown up animals, and their 
babies too. This is the home for cows, 
horses, dogs, and cats after they die.” 

“ Have all these animals died ? ” 

“ Yes, my, dear, and this is the after-life, 
which is very sweet to these poor creatures. 
They have suffered cruelly on earth, but are 
just as bright as any human being now, and 
they will never grow any older. This is their 
heaven, and they are always happy.” 

“ I am so glad,” said Bianca. “ Is my kit- 
ten Flossie here? And Fox, my dear dog 
that died dast year, is he here too?” 

“ Of course they are here. Every day they 
form a procession and march around these 
winding paths, just for fun. We will watch 
them pass, and then you will see your pets, 
and can talk with them.” 

“ Can I ? ” replied the child, delightedly. 
“ I am so anxious to see them, for I did love 
them so.” 

“ It is nearly time for them to march now. 
Come with me.” 


1 68 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Bianca followed Fairy Starlight, who led 
her through a grove of magnolia-trees, and 
then to an open space. There the child saw 
an exquisite throne made of filigree gold, 
rubies, and diamonds, with a canopy of pearls 
and emeralds. Fairy Starlight sat upon the 
throne and motioned Bianca to a seat at her 
right hand, which she at once accepted. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


' I 'HEY were scarcely seated when the 
^ head of the procession, consisting of a 
calf and a colt, issued from the grove. March, 
march, march. They came passing around 
the throne, bowing low before Fairy Starlight, 
and then disappearing on the other side of 
the grove. 

After many, many colts and calves had 
passed, came a great company of puppies 
and kittens. Every little while the kittens 
would forget about the procession and play 
with one another’s tails. 

Bianca looked eagerly at each one as it 
passed; but she could not see Fox; at least 
she did not recognize him, now that he had 
become a puppy. She had almost despaired 
of finding him, when she heard : “ Oh, there 
is my dear little mistress ! ” and a pretty 


170 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


puppy left his companions and rushed to 
Bianca, wagging his tail with joy. Bianca 
had returned to her regular size now, and so 
she was easily recognized. 

“Are you my little dog Fox?” she 
inquired in surprise; he looked so much 
smaller and prettier. 

“ Yes, and you are my little mis- 
tress Bianca. You were always 
good to me ; just 
wait and I will bring 
you Flossie ; she 
will be delighted 
to see you.” 

“ Indeed, I shall 

“ARE YOU MY LITTLE DOG FOX?” bg delighted) ^ 

the child assured him. 



He trotted away and returned with Flossie, 
who appeared just the same as when she 
lived on earth. She was very happy to see 
Bianca, and purringly remarked, “ I never 
expected to see you again, and I am so glad 
that you have had an opportunity to know how 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 171 

fortunate we are.” She then sprang into 
Bianca’s lap to be caressed, and curled up 
very comfortably, while Fox laid down at 
Bianca’s feet. 

All the procession now broke up, and many 
of the animals clustered around the throne. 
Bianca remembered what Fairy Starlight had 
said about the animals having histories, and 
so she said to Fairy Starlight: “Won’t you 
please ask some of these lovely little things 
to tell me about their former lives on the 
earth.” 

“ Certainly, my dear ; ” saying this, the 
fairy rose, waved her wand, and when perfect 
silence reigned, said clearly and very dis- 
tinctly : “ If any of you care to speak of your 
experiences on earth, come forward, one at a 
time, and tell them to Bianca, who sits at my 
right hand.” As the fairy sat down, a colt 
stepped before the throne, bowed its pretty 
head, and began : — 

“ In the last place where I lived I had a 
very inhuman master. When anything roused 


172 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

his terrible temper, he used to beat me so 
that my poor body was all sore from the 
blows. There is happily an end to all things, 
however, though it is sometimes pretty bitter. 
One day he gave me so heavy a load to carry 
that I could barely struggle along the level 
road, as it had been raining, and the mud was 
quite deep. You can imagine, then, how 
impossible it was for me (half-fed and ill- 
treated as I had been) to haul the wagon up 
a steep hill. I tried with a good will ; but 
it was useless ; the wagon would not stir a 
foot, and I trembled with fear, for I knew 
well what would happen.” 

“What a wicked man ! ” Bianca muttered. 

“Yes, he was wicked; for he took me out 
of the shafts and beat me with a heavy stick 
until I fell, exhausted from pain. He then 
twisted my tail until the agony caused me 
once more to rise to my feet. He hitched me 
to the wagon, and I tried, oh, how hard ! to 
drag it even one step, but in vain. His evil 
eye was fixed on me,, and I knew that no 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 73 

mercy would be shown me ; nor was there 
any, for he kicked and beat me until I 
dropped insensible. When I awoke, I was 
here, a happy young colt; all my troubles at 
an end. I do not know what became of my 
horrible master.” 

Bianca gave a sigh of relief, as the colt left 
off; and now a puppy stood before the 
throne, wagging its cute little tail while it 
began its story. 

“ I had no master and no mistress ; but I 
had a home all the same, for I stayed around 
a tenement-house. Frequently I stepped 
into the hall, and no one noticed me, unless 
some man came home after drinking too 
much ; then I received many a kick, but the 
children often fed me. After a while I kept out 
of the way of the kicks pretty well ; and the 
people got accustomed to seeing me around 
the children, and liked me. 

“ One night every one was asleep, and I 
was in the hall down-stairs. I thought I 
smelt smoke ; I jumped up and sniffed 


174 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

around, and then I was sure that there was 
smoke, therefore the house must be on fire. 
I barked and howled until all the first floor 
were aroused ; then I ran from room to room 
and awakened everybody. When I reached 
the top floor where the fire had started, I 
choked and choked, but no one remembered 
me. 

“ I saved them all, and the last thing I 
thought of was that now I should die all 
alone. But death is nothing after all, for 
here I am, in a beautiful land all sunshine 
and no rain, and I am free from hunger or 
blows.” The puppy frisked about so gayly 
that Bianca almost forgot to be sorry for his 
past troubles. 

“Why, here comes a calf! I wonder what 
it will have to say,” said the child. 

“ Oh, I have a story too,” replied the calf, 
who had heard her remark. 

“ Relate it then,” said the fairy. 

“ When I was on earth, I had a nice mother 
who is not with us yet. My mother loved 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 75 

me so dearly she could not bear to have me 
out of her sight. One day a cruel man took 
me away, and I cried for her. She tried to 
come too ; but the man closed the gate, and 
shut her in the yard. I remember now, how 
sadly her brown eyes followed me, and I kept 
pulling at the rope which was around my 
neck, and nearly strangling me; but I was 
dragged away and killed. Here I am con- 
tented, because I know that my mother will 
be with me some day and I can play with 
her, for she will also be a calf.” 

“ That will be very nice, little calf,” said 
Fairy Starlight. “Your story was sad; but 
these kittens, who are waiting to take your 
place, may have something pleasant to 
tell us.” 

Three little kittens immediately stepped 
forward and shouted gayly, “We were not 
wanted in the house where we were born, so 
they chloroformed us ; and it did n’t hurt a 
bit, and we are glad of it.” With this they 
ran after their own tails, and then suddenly 


176 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

turned sportively and chased each other 
down the grove. 

“That was not very mournful,” laughed 
Bianca. 

“ I should say not ; but I fear this kitten 
has something quite different to tell,” replied 
the fairy, as a jet-black kitten bowed its 
shining head before them and commenced : 

“ I was a mother cat on earth, and my five 
kittens I kept in the hay-loft of a barn which 
belonged to a very wealthy family. I was 
very contented with my dear little babies, 
and I always slipped in when no one was 
there. Often I caught a nice mouse and fed 
it to my babies ; first, I taught them how to 
play with it, and make it think it was going 
to escape ; then they were to pretend that 
they did not see it, until it made a run for 
freedom ; then came the quick pounce and 
my kittens’ sharp claws showed Mr. Mouse 
that he was doomed.” 

“ How could you teach them anything so 
mean ? ” interrupted Bianca, indignantly. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 77 

The kitten looked surprised, and replied: 
“ That was not mean. They had to learn the 
sport of mousing, so that in case they ever 
became so well-fed that they would no longer 
require to capture their dinner, they would 
catch mice just for fun, and thus not forget 
the art, in case their friends deserted them.” 

“ That is true,” Bianca said, somewhat 
mollified. 

“ I thought that you would agree with me,” 
said the kitten. “ I like to remember those 
days. The coachman brought his young wife 
to some pretty rooms fitted up over the 
stable, and she fell in love with me and my 
dear babies. We were well cared for then. 
We used to roll around the floor and sleep 
on her bed. Oh, yes, we were happy until 
they went home for a visit, and a new coach- 
man took his place. Then my troubles 
began. He seemed to hate me, although he 
did not appear to mind the kittens. He 
kicked and beat me, and at last drove me 
away. I had to wander through the alleys, 


12 


178 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

half starved, and chased by wicked boys and 
men until I felt that I was going to die of 
grief, starvation, and pain. I dragged myself 
back to the barn to take a last look at my 
dear babies, even if I were to be received 
with blows.” 

“ Poor kitty ! ” said Bianca, her eyes full 
of sympathetic tears. 

“Yes, ‘poor kitty,’ for I could scarcely 
crawl ; but when I reached the barn a surprise 
awaited me. The old coachman and his wife 
had returned ; and his wife at first did not 
recognize me, I was so bony, and my fur was 
so rough. When she did, how she petted 
me, and fed me a little warm milk, only a 
little, however, for I was so weak I could 
scarcely move my poor tongue, and what do 
you think ? I could not kiss my babies, and 
they did not realize why I neglected them. 
All that is past now. In a few days I could 
no longer walk ; but I followed my kind friend 
with my dim eyes until they closed in death. 
When again I saw a world, it was this dear 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 79 


world of perfect bliss ; and I expect my babies 
to join me very soon.” 

Bianca thought the lives so sad, she beg- 
ged Fairy Starlight to request that no more 
should be told, they made her too unhappy. 

“ Very well, my dear,” replied the fairy, 
rising and waving her wand. At once there 
was silence until she spoke. “ My friends, 
our little mistress’ heart is too tender to hear 
any more of your past sufferings, so, Daisy, 
you may step forward and tell her of your 
joys in Starland.” 

“ Daisy,” a beautiful white colt, pranced up 
to the throne, and, having bowed her graceful 
neck, she began : — 

“ We are always contented here, frolicking 
among the blue-bells and sweet clover. We 
never feel hungry, angry, or sorrowful. 
We love one another. We are always happy, 
and will be forevermore.” Having finished, 
Daisy joined her companions, and they all 
disappeared in joyful confusion in the mag- 
nolia grove. 


180 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ We must go also, my child,” said Fairy 
Starlight. 

Bianca was sorry, but she obeyed at once. 
They soon had left Starland, and were swiftly 
riding through the air seated on their fire- 
flies. 

“ I am glad that they are all happy,” said 
Bianca, glancing back at the star, which 
already looked much smaller and not in the 
least like a beautiful world. “ Are we now to 
see some fairies ? ” 

“No, my child, it is too late this night; 
another time I will keep that promise,” re- 
plied Fairy Starlight. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


"THE next night Bianca ran into the nur- 
“*■ sery, anxious to see her dollies, and 
found them expecting her. 

“Why did you not come last night?” de- 
manded Clara, in an aggrieved tone. “ We 
waited for you ever so long.” 

“ I could not, very well,” the child replied. 
It was impossible for her to tell them of Fairy 
Starlight, for she knew that they would at once 
suspect her of not being a doll, for no doll had 
ever seen the fairy ; she would not permit it, 
she once told Bianca. “ Was Bessie with you ? ” 
she said, by way of changing the subject. 

“ No, she was not ; but that is not so strange 
as your remaining away, for you always do 
go with us, and we missed you sadly,” replied 
Lilian. 


1 82 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

“ Well, I am here now, and very glad to be 
here,” said Bianca, as they were walking down 
the tiny staircase. She noticed how very 
bright the electric lights were, and how quaint 
and funny Sambo’s shiny face appeared be- 
side little flower-like Petite, with her delicate 
skin and pink cheeks. Then she noticed 
Lilian’s dimple, and thought of how it 
got there; and she came very near asking 
Lilian if it ever hurt. She fortunately stopped 
herself just in time, and began admiring 
Clara’s beautiful curls. 

By this time they had entered the first door, 
and found Bessie and her dolls right on the 
other side, waiting for them. Bessie sprang 
forward quickly, and looked up the staircase. 
Afterward she told Bianca that her staircase, 
which she and her dolls came down, was ex- 
actly like this. “ Where were you last night? 
Just sleeping, I suppose,” said Bessie to Bianca, 
as they walked along, arm in arm. 

“ No, I was with Fairy Starlight ; but I can’t 
tell you about it now; I will some other time.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 83 

“ I think she was unkind not to take me,” 
replied Bessie, indignantly. 

“ She said that you were naughty, and could 
not go,” was the response. 

“Oh, did she?” Bessie looked sadly em- 
barrassed, and glanced around swiftly, to see 
whether any of the dolls could hear ; but they 
were quite busy chatting together, and not 
paying any attention to the children just then. 

“What did you do?” inquired Bianca, 
curiously. 

“Nothing much. I only threw my kitten 
in a tub of water to see if it could swim ; and 
mamma punished me, because she said it was 
cruel,” finished the child, blushing painfully, 
and flinging her head as if she did not care. 

“Why, Bessie, how could you?” Bianca 
exclaimed. “ If only you had been with me 
last night, you never would treat animals badly 
again.” 

“ I am sorry I did it, anyway ; it swallowed 
so much soapy water.” 

“ Soapy water ! ” cried Bianca, so loudly all 


1 84 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

the dolls turned and asked what they were 
talking about. 

“ Nothing of very great importance,” the 
children quickly responded. The dolls ap- 
peared satisfied with that reply, and Kate 
presently remarked to Bianca : — 

“ I know you have been to most of these 
places before, but Bessie is a strange doll; 
she was probably only made a short time 
ago, and she wants to see what you have 
seen.” 

“I am very glad ; besides, I want to go to 
those places again, all but Snowland. I am 
sure Bessie would not care for that.” 

“Yes, I would,” said Bessie, eagerly. 

“ Of course she would,” agreed the dolls. 

“You are not thinking of the little old 
man?” teased Clara. 

“ That is exactly of what I am thinking,” 
Bianca declared, actually turning pale at 
the idea of getting within his clutches ; 
and she exclaimed earnestly, “ Bessie, do 
not go.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 85 

“Why?” questioned Bessie. 

“ I will tell you some time,” said Bianca, 
looking straight into her little friend’s eyes, as 
if to say, “You know I cannot speak before 
our dolls.” 

Bessie pouted, and agreed not to go if 
Bianca preferred it. 

“ You are afraid, you are afraid ! ” laughed 
the dolls, pointing at Bianca, which she did not 
fancy very much, but she only replied : 

“Yes, I am afraid. So say no more about 
it, please.” 

They were so polite that they really said no 
more just then ; besides, they liked the child, 
and did not care to anger her, or even make 
her very unhappy. 

They had not walked far before Bessie had 
made friends with some of the flower-faces, 
just as Bianca had done; and when the little 
policeman doffed his hat to Bianca, Bessie was 
delighted, although she did not hug or kiss 
him, as Bianca had done the first time she saw 
him. 


1 86 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

Bianca felt just as if she were meeting 
old friends; and when the horses trotted up 
with the carriage, she smoothed their necks 
and talked with them, and they knew her 
at once. 

Bessie was not surprised to hear them speak, 
for Bianca had, of course, told her about them. 
They jumped into the carriage, and took 
Sambo and Petite with them, mindful of the 
last time when Petite had played with the fish 
and gotten all wet. 

“ I likes a ride purty well ; but I ’se might’ly 
’fraid dese hyar ponies is skittish.” 

“ We won’t hurt you, ‘ coon,’ ” shouted one 
of the ponies. 

“ Coon ! coon ! See hyar, yo’ white trash, 
I woan stan’ dat dar talk, I ’se — ” 

But the dolls hushed him up, and calmed 
him down, telling him that the ponies were 
full of mischief, and meant no harm. 

Sambo kept muttering something under 
his breath like, “ Trubble — trash — no ’count 
pusson ; ” but finally Petite won him back 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 87 

into good humor. By the time they 
reached Monkeyland, all were as happy as 
could be. 

“ They are not making as much noise as 
they did the day I was here,” said Bianca. 

“ No wonder,” retorted Lilian, “ the poor 
parrots are not having their tails pulled out.” 



THEY ARE FRIGHTENED BY THE MONKEYS. 

“ I wish that they were,” remarked Bessie. 

“ Well, I am glad that they are not,” said 
Bianca; “it hurts the parrots too much. 
Why ! where are the parrots ? ” she fin- 


88 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


ished suddenly, as they came in sight of 
all the monkeys, grinning and leaping about, 
having great fun. 

“ I suppose that they are in their own part 
of Strangeland, where they belong,” Clara 
replied. “That accounts for their not making 
so much noise ; for I am sure there is nothing 
louder than the screech of a cross parrot.” 

“ Oh, do see that cunning baby monkey,” 
said Bessie, pointing to a mother monkey 
who was playing with her little one. 

“Yes, it is a dear,” replied Lilian. 

“ It will come to us, I think,” said Kate ; at 
the same time she beckoned and called to it. 
At first the mother paid no heed to the invi- 
tation; then she calmly and quietly walked 
towards them as if she was doing them all a 
great favor. When she got near enough, 
Bianca tried to take the baby monkey in her 
own arms; but she soon jumped in alarm, for 
the monkeys rushed to the rescue, and the 
dolls were glad to jump into the carriage and 
drive away with as much speed as possible. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 89 

‘‘Would they have killed us?” said Bessie 
to Bianca. 

“ No, I think not,” responded Clara. 
“ Certainly I never heard of such behavior to 
any of us dolls. It is strange,” and the other 
dolls thought it strange too. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 



HEY may suspect that we are chil- 


x dren,” whispered Bianca in Bessie’s 
ear later, when they were at the pond where 
people never could take cold when once they 
had bathed in its depths. 

“ Maybe they do,” Bessie replied anxiously. 
“Can they follow us here?” she asked the 
dolls. 

“ Oh, no. The monkeys never come as 
far as this,” replied Lilian. “ I never saw 
them behave that way in all my life before.” 

“Nor I” 

“ Nor I,” said the others, in surprise. 

“ Did you bring our bathing suits, Lilian? ” 
demanded Clara. 

“No, I never thought of it; besides we 
would have to go to our own house, and that 
would waste time.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 191 

“Well, we can go in wading; that is some 
fun,” said Bessie. 

The others agreed to this plan ; and in less 
than three minutes, they had taken off their 
stockings and shoes, and were in the clear, 
beautiful water. Then, for the first time, 
Bianca noticed that it had the odor of some 
delightful perfume, something more delicate 
than any she had ever smelled before. 

“Isn’t it lovely?” she exclaimed, and 
Bessie declared that she would willingly bot- 
tle some of it if she could. 

The dolls laughed at the idea, saying, “ You 
can bathe in it all you wish.” 

“ The odor clings to you forever, I believe,” 
remarked Lilian. “ For Petite’s hands smell 
as sweet as this water does ever since she 
dipped them in that day.” 

“ How nice ! Maybe mamma and papa will 
believe me now, and not think that I am all the 
time dreaming,” whispered Bianca to Bessie. 

“Yes, and my mamma and papa too,” 
whispered Bessie back to Bianca. 


192 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


So they waded around very happily, all 
excepting Petite, who was only allowed to dip 
her rosy feet in the water. 

Sambo was marching about, up to his black 
knees, and every few moments he would place 
her feet were covered with 



water; but she kicked so 
heartily with delight, when- 
ever she felt its 
cool charm, she 
-A" not only spattered 


herself, but Sambo 

SAMBO AND PETITE STAY ON SHORE. ag 

“ Yo’ finks Sambo needs a full wash off, 
honey ; but yo’ ’s not gwine fo’ ter gib him one, 
I reckon,” Sambo would say every time he 
lifted the baby out of the lake. Petite always 
squirmed and shouted : — 

“ Goo — goo ! ” 

“ That baby is going to be a great care 
and responsibility,” sighed Lilian; “ she is 
so determined.” 

“ Maybe she will change,” suggested Bianca. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 93 

At that moment, Petite gave a tremendous 
jump, when Sambo was not expecting it, and 
down into the lake she fell, with Sambo after 
her, almost pale with fright. 

Everything was at once confusion. The 
dolls and children forgot all about their 
clothes, and rushed to the rescue ; but, before 
they could reach Petite, Sambo arose, drip- 
ping from head to foot, with Petite in his 
arms, more dead than alive. 

“My darling! My precious ! Is she hurt?” 
exclaimed Lilian. 

Sambo choked, coughed, and sputtered : 
“ She am, sure enough, mos’ daid, I reckin.” 

He was mistaken, for Petite began to cry, 
before Lilian fairly had her in her arms. 

By the time Petite was quieted, the dolls 
and children realized what a plight they 
were in. 

“ It is too bad ; but we will never take cold 
where this water has touched us,” remarked 
Clara ; “ and we can go home and change our 
clothes.” 


13 


194 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

“No need of that,” said one of the horses. 
They were both highly entertained by all these 
accidents. “Your clothing will dry in less 
than ten minutes, and not be harmed either.” 

It turned out that he had told the truth ; for 
by the time they had reached the lake where 
the big turtle lived, they were perfectly dry. 
No one seemed to care about riding on the 
turtle’s back, Bianca least of all, for she had 
had enough of such a ride when she was in 
bathing before ; so they soon left Strangeland 
for the dolls’ home. 

They entered the hall where the spiral stair- 
case was, and walked right out the other door. 
Bessie was as delighted with the dear little 
houses as ever Bianca had been. When they 
reached Bianca’s doll-house, they found invi- 
tations for a party awaiting them. 

“ Do you care to go? ” inquired the dolls. 

Of course the children were only too happy 
to accept; so Kate and May took Bessie to 
their house, which was very much like Clara’s 
and Lilian’s, where Bianca went to dress. It 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 95 

was not long before the children, clad in lovely 
pink and blue gowns, met the dolls in a beau- 
tiful ball-room. The entire ceiling and walls 
were covered with a design of flowers, ferns, 
and vines in electric lights. Then such music ! 
There never was anything so beautiful ; it was 
just as if the finest, most delicate sounds had 
been stolen from the birds’ tender trills, the 
bubbling springs, the sighing winds, and all the 
strange, sweet notes of the woodland, and 
these had been combined to form the music 
which so enchanted the children. They could 
have danced all night with the boy-dolls who 
were their partners. 

All things must terminate ; and Clara soon 
said it was time to go. Thus ended one of 
the most charming evenings the children had 
ever enjoyed. Bessie, of course, went with 
her dolls to change her dress ; and Bianca de- 
parted to the little home which she so much 
admired. Chloe had a nice hot supper ready 
by the time Kate, May, and Bessie returned. 
Bessie and Bianca kept smiling at each other 


196 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

during the entire meal, they were so charmed 
with everything. Afterward, Bianca showed 
Bessie all over the house, and in the cradle 
they found Petite fast asleep. The cradle 
was in Lilian’s bedroom; but Sambo did not 
appear to be anywhere around. 

“ I suppose he is talking to Chloe, and try- 
ing to prevail upon her to marry him,” whis- 
pered Bianca, softly ; she was afraid to awaken 
Petite. 

“ Does he love her? ” said Bessie. 

“ I should think he did,” Bianca replied. 
And on the way downstairs she told Bessie 
all about the last time she was there. When 
they returned to the library, the dolls stopped 
talking suddenly, as if they did not care to 
have the children hear what they had been 
saying, and then they began to laugh. 

“ Now, Bianca and Bessie, we have a sur- 
prise for you, if you are willing to do just as we 
say,” said Kate. 

“Will it hurt us any?” demanded Bessie. 

“ No, oh, no ! ” they all replied. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 97 

So the children agreed to follow instructions 
exactly ; but they were slightly surprised when 
Clara brought two handkerchiefs and bound 
them over their eyes, in so deft a fashion that 
neither of the children could see a ray of light. 

“You must not peep even a weenty bit, 
remember,” said Lilian, dancing around in 
delight. The children promised, and they 
were carefully led out of the house. 

They felt the cool air on their faces, and 
knew that they were in a carriage by the roll 
of the wheels and trot of horses. Next they 
got out, and climbed some steps, and were 
guided to soft seats ; then they felt that they 
were in some conveyance which was moving 
rapidly ; after this they were led down some 
more steps, and heard three little taps, as if on 
a window, and they passed through a doorway ; 
next the click of a lock sounded behind them, 
and the low laughter of the dolls ; then the 
handkerchiefs were removed, and the children 
were permitted to look around. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


' I 'HEY found themselves in a long stone 
corridor, lined with ever so many iron 

doors. 

From the stone ceiling were suspended 
yellow globes of light. 

“ Where do you think that you are ? ” Lilian 
cried, merrily. 

“ Almost in a jail, I should say,” Bessie 
replied, glancing at the iron doors, which 
were all securely locked. “ What is there in 
all those rooms? ” 

“Thoughts,” responded Lilian. “You have 
been on the train all this time, and you are 
now in Thoughtland. Don’t you see the 
yellow lights which are shining through the 
pane of glass over there? ” 

The children turned* and saw a doll, 
dressed in the uniform of a guard, standing 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 1 99 

near a door in which a piece of square glass 
was set, about on a level with his eyes. 

“ When any one wishes to come in, he taps 
on the glass, and the guard opens the door,” 
Kate explained. “ I will now ask him for 
the keys, and we will visit some of' the 
Thoughts.” 

She secured the keys, and was returning, 
when the guard shouted after her : “ Be care- 
ful none of them get out.” The children 
were becoming quite agitated, and so eager 
to have a door opened they could scarcely 
conceal their impatience. When the key 
turned, they all quickly entered a room so 
dimly lighted by means of a small window 
that the children could hardly see anything; 
but presently they heard a whining voice 
ask : — 

“ What do you want? ” 

“We just want to look in these rooms,” 
said Clara. 

“You mean cells,” snapped the voice. 
“ I wish that you would let me out. I have 


200 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 

such a hard lesson to learn, I never can put 
on a blue robe, never.” ' 

Bianca was now so accustomed to the dim 
light that she could see quite plainly that the 
voice came from a tiny, wizened creature clad 
in black. 

“ Why do you have to learn a lesson ? ” . 
exclaimed Bessie, who also could see her 
now. 

“ I don’t know,” was the reply. 

“ Oh, Discontent, you have told another 
story, and now you will find your lesson more 
difficult.” The sweet voice which delivered 
these sorrowful remarks evidently came 
through the window. Bianca ran and looked 
out. 

“ Bessie, Bessie,” she cried, “ come and see 
the fairies. No, I hardly think that they are 
fairies, but come and see.” Bessie peeped 
over her shoulder, and exclaimed delightedly : 

“ Kate, May, can we go out to them? ” 

“Yes, you can come if you wish,” replied 
the same sweet voice ; and a wee thing, clad 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 201 

in shimmering white, stepped out in full view 
and gazed at them. Her face was beautiful, 
with so contented an expression that it gave 
the children pleasure merely to rest their eyes 
upon it. 

“ Then let us go,” said they to the dolls. 
The dolls told them that they had better look 
into some of the other cells first,, as it would 
be long before they would have another 
opportunity. 

“ All right,” they said ; but as they started, 
Discontent whimpered again : — 

“ My lesson is so hard.” 

“ How do you study in this badly lighted 
room ? ” Bessie inquired. 

“ I hold the book near my little window,” 
said the creature. “ But I hate to go over 
there, for then I see the white Thoughts 
having such a happy time it makes me mis- 
erable.” 

“ Let me see your lesson,” said Bianca, 
taking from Discontent’s hand a paper on 
which was printed, in large gold letters : — 


202 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


“ When my faults I plainly see, 

I need not unhappy be ; 

If to change them I but try, 

They will leave me by and by. 

“ I should never try to tease, 

Or make people ill at ease. 

Cheerful in my work and play, 

I ’ll grow sweeter every day. 

“ When an unkind word I hear, 

It should never cause a tear. 

If I smile when others frown, 

Peace and joy my life will crown.” 

“ Why, I should not think that it would be 
difficult to remember those lines,” the child 
remarked, as she returned them. 

“Well, they are hard for me; and I wish 
that you would all go away; I am tired of 
having you here.” 

They could scarcely resist this invitation 
to depart, so they quickly left and locked the 
door. Then the children wanted to know all 
about Discontent, and why she was kept in a 
cell. 

“ She is a bad Thought which some little 
girl on the earth had,” Lilian explained. 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 203 

“ But the sweet voice belonged to a good 
Thought, which that same child may have 
had. If children only knew what became 
of their Thoughts, they would certainly try 
to be very careful only to think what was 
good.” 

“ Yes, and the poor bad Thoughts are 
clad in black, and are forced to remain in 
those dark cells studying; and they can only 
master their les- 
sons when they 
have learned to 
be kind, gentle, 
and truthful,” 
said May. “But 
when they im- a group of happy thoughts. 
prove, be it ever so little, they are transferred 
to rooms which are better lighted, and they 
are dressed in blue.” 

“ That is what Discontent meant, when she 
said something about a blue robe ? ” mur- 
mured Bessie. She and Bianca were both 
wondering how many of their naughty 



204 FAIRY starlight and the dolls. 

Thoughts were imprisoned here, when they 
might all have been good Thoughts who 
could dress in spotless white, and play hap- 
pily in the beautiful gardens of which the 
children had caught a glimpse from poor 
Discontent’s window. 

Bianca was quite sure that Discontent had 
once dwelt in her brain, when Mrs. Caldeau 
had chided her for some fault, and she felt 
very sorry. 

They passed from one room to another, 
and saw many unhappy little creatures who 
had, mostly, extremely ugly faces. They 
nearly all complained of the same lesson that 
Discontent had been set to learn. They bore 
different names, however, such as : “ Don’t 
Care,” “ You Mean Old Thing,” “ I Won’t,” 
“ I Hate You,” and many more, such as little 
girls can easily think of. 

“ Will they all grow to be good Thoughts 
some day?” Bianca asked sadly. 

“ Certainly,” Clara replied cheerfully ; “only 
it takes much longer for the very bad 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 205 

Thoughts to learn the lesson. It is some- 
times made easier for them, however.” 

“ How? ” exclaimed the children. 

“ Why, if the same little girl who had a 
naughty Thought is afterwards sorry for it, 
the naughty Thought at once improves, and 
the lesson is not so hard, and she is soon 
good enough to wear the blue gown, and then, 
almost before she realizes it, she is ready for 
the white robe.” 

“ I should prefer to go out into the gar- 
dens,” said Bianca, when Clara had finished. 

She and Bessie had recognized so many of 
their own Thoughts, and they were trying so 
hard already to be sorry for each one, that it 
quite fatigued them, and they were glad when 
Kate returned the keys to the guard, and led 
the way to the gardens. 


CHAPTER XX. 


\ T T'HEN the door was opened, the chil- 
* * dren followed the dolls down a flight 
of stone steps, and then all stood gazing upon 
a beautiful scene. Like Strangeland, delicate 
moss covered the earth, and fern-like trees 
abounded; but what pleased them most 
were the hundreds of good Thoughts clad in 
shining white, which glistened like spun glass. 

These Thoughts were romping and play- 
ing all sorts of games : some were swinging, 
with shouts of happy laughter ; others, quite as 
gay, were playing drop-the-handkerchief, and 
so on, each group cheerful and merry, while 
invisible music charmed the ear, and innu- 
merable fountains filled the air with delicate 
perfume, only rivalled by the fragrance of the 
many-colored flowers springing up from the 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 20J 

moss and nodding in the trees. Several of 
the Thoughts tripped up to the children and 
dolls to greet them, and cordially invite them 
to join in the games. The invitation was 
accepted with alacrity, and the children were 
made blissfully happy, especially as many 
naughty Thoughts received their white robes, 
and joined their good companions, as they 
had learned their lessons, and could leave 
their dreary cells forever and be good 
Thoughts, because the children had been so 
penitent when thinking of them. 

“ I am going to try never to think anything 
bad again,” Bianca whispered to Bessie. 

“So am I,” was the response. 

When it was time to leave, the children 
were loath to go, and all the good Thoughts 
clustered around our little party as they went 
up the steps. At the top, the children 
turned to look once more on those happy, 
upturned faces ; then there was a waving of 
wee hands and throwing of kisses, until the 
door closed. 


208 fairy starlight and the dolls. 


“Your train is here. You had better 
hurry,” called the conductor. 

They were obliged to run for it, and were 
scarcely seated before the cars started. 
When they had finally passed through the 
yellow door, and over the sandy beach, Kate 
said : 

“ Surely it must be time for us to get back 
into the world ? ” 

Clara glanced at her watch, and replied 
nervously : 

“ I should think it was, and we have to 
stop for Sambo and Petite, so we had better 
say good-by right here.” 

This they did, and then departed their 
separate ways. 

“To-morrow we will go coasting again,” 
May shouted back, when they were some 
distance apart. 

“ All right, we can meet at the Launcher 
station,” Clara called out in reply. 

Sambo and Petite were waiting for them 
at the gate, therefore there was no delay; 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 20g 

they were soon running up the spiral stair- 
case, but when Clara touched the button, the 
fire-place would not open. 

“I was sho’ dat we was late,” Sambo 
whimpered. 

“ Nonsense, ” said Clara, loftily ; but Bianca 
noticed that both she and Lilian were pale 
with agitation. 

Clara gave the button another hard push, 
and, to the relief of all, the fire-place 
opened. 

Sambo was so excited, that he forgot his 
politeness, and dashed ahead of every one 
and down the steps, with such speed that he 
stumbled and fell with Petite in his arms. 
Bianca was the first to rescue Petite; and, 
finding her apparently lifeless, she cried 
out : — 

“ Oh, she is dead ; she is dead ! ” 

“Give her to me. She is mine,” de- 
manded Lilian, in despair. 

Meanwhile, Clara poured some water in a 
bowl, and sprinkled a few drops in the 


14 


210 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


baby’s face. No one noticed Sambo, who 
stood in one corner, gazing at Petite with a 
heart-broken expression. 

“I will get mamma; she will know what 
to do,” sobbed Bianca. 

“ Is she very far away? ” Clara asked. 

“Why, no, she is right here in her bed- 
room,” Bianca replied, so full of grief and 
fear she did not realize the mischief she 
was doing. 

“You don’t mean Mrs. Caldeau?” Clara 
exclaimed. 

“Whom else could I mean?” then Bianca 
realized what she had done; at the same 
moment Petite opened her eyes and began 
to cry. Lilian soothed her, and they were 
all so diverted that nothing else was thought 
of for a short period. 

Presently the baby smiled, and held out 
one hand toward Sambo ; he ran to her, and 
knelt beside her, so conscience-stricken they 
all forgave him. 

Clara now turned to Bianca and said, 
quietly : — 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 21 I 


“You told me that Mrs. Caldeau was 
your mother; then you must be our little 
mistress ? ” 

Bianca hung her head, and her eyes filled 
with tears. 

“ Is that true? ” demanded Lilian. 

No answer from the child. 

“ If you do not reply, we will know that it 
is true,” said Clara, sadly. 

“Yes, yes, it is true; and I am so sorry 
that I told. Oh, what shall I do?” faltered 
Bianca, covering her face, and beginning to 
cry. 

“It is too bad,” murmured the dolls. 
“But we must say good-by, little mistress; 
good-by, dear little friend.” 

“Do not say good-by; stay alive, please, 
please do,” entreated the child; but it was 
useless; even as she spoke, the dolls became 
ordinary, stiff playthings, and she ran out 
of the room crying bitterly. 

“ Bianca, my dear, do not feel so unhappy, 
you will waken your father and mother, 


212 FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 


and then I also shall be obliged to leave 
you. ” 

It was the Fairy Starlight who addressed 
her, and Bianca looked at her sorrowfully, 
sobbing softly: 

“ I have told. Oh, dear, oh, dear, will 
they never live again?” 

“They will never live again, nor can 
Bessie’s dolls; but it cannot be helped, so 
that it is useless to give way to grief, dear, ” 
replied Fairy Starlight. 

“But I love them,” said Bianca, mourn- 
fully. 

“Well, you have had many happy times 
together, which you can always remember. 
Dry your eyes, and be a good girl, and I 
will take you to visit one of my stars to- 
morrow night.” 

“Will you take Bessie too,” inquired 
Bianca, who was beginning to feel a trifle 
cheered. 

“Yes, she shall go also. Get in your 
bed, child, and I will put you to sleep.” 


FAIRY STARLIGHT AND THE DOLLS. 213 

Bianca at once complied; and as she nes- 
tled down on her pillow, Fairy Starlight 
smiled and lightly waved her wand; in a 
second, Bianca was in a refreshing slumber, 
where we will now leave her, saying, as the 
dolls did, “Good-by, dear little friend/’ 



THE DOLLS’ GOOD-BY TO BIANCA. 


THE END. 




























































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